Health Talk

Do you experience numbness and pain with your thumb, index and middle fingers? If yes, you might be suffering already with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Medical experts define CTS as a disabling overuse injury to the hand caused by physical wrists and hand workout such as excessive typing and writing.

Derived from the Greek word karpos which means "wrist". Karpos is surrounded by a group of fibrous tissue to support the joint. Tight spaces between this fibrous tissues and the wrist bone is the Carpal Tunnel. This syndrome are commonly misdiagnosed as tendinitis, a common inflammation in the tendon.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve travelling through the carpal tunnel. CTS affects the hands because it is an upper limb neuropathy which commonly results to motor and sensory disturbances of the median nerve.

This syndrome affects individuals by inflicting pain, paresthesias, numbness and weakness in the median nerve distribution. The symptoms may extend to the shoulder and neck area and are more prevalent at night due to various sleeping positions.

There are several ways on how to treat CTS. Wrist, fingers, hand and arm stretching exercises are commonly advised by most physicians to aid the pain and numbness. Other treatments include splints, corticosteroid injections and for severe cases, surgery.

Medical experts says that CTS can run through genes so if one of your family has this syndrome, you are greatly in high risk. They also site that there is no specific cause of the disease aside from the theory of overused or injury of the hand and arms. Any condition that exerts pressure on the median nerve at the wrist can initiate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Below are some conditions that are believed to cause CTS.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a temporary condition that can go away overnight, however it can also persist in a prolonged time and the symptoms may also progress. CTS can be associated with some diseases and can also be caused by excessive physical work exertions. If the symptoms persist and becomes severe, consult your doctor immediately.

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