Relieving Carpal Tunnel Pain

You start and end your day typing on a computer and hiding your pain. Sometimes the pain in your hand is so bad you want to cry. Welcome to the modern age where Carpal Tunnel is a common occurrence and hazard of the office worker. This is a common affliction that involves one or both or your hands and wrists. A pinching of the nerve bundle the travels through your wrist creates symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to hand immobility. Carpal Tunnel pain occurs when the nerves that lie between the fingers and the forearms are tightly entrapped. Common symptoms include tingling, pain, swelling, and burning sensations. Relief requires immobilizing the effected hand, physical therapy, rest, and possibly surgery.

Continuing repetitive motions are the typical cause of Carpal Tunnel. People that use a computer keyboard or mouse all-day long are susceptible to the problem. People with poor desk position or posture, using ergonomically incorrect equipment or improper hand motions will also typically suffer Carpal Tunnel.

Symptoms include pain in the thumb and 1st through 3rd fingers, pain and tingling, in the wrist, hand and forearm and extreme hand, wrist, or arm pain. Other symptoms include swelling of the joints and knuckles in the affected hand, numbness, or a constant and uncomfortable burning.

Nonsurgical cures for Carpal Tunnel include immobilizing the affected area to isolate the nerve that is causing the problems. Splints for the arm or hand are used that will limit range of motion for the hand, fingers and wrist. These splints are similar to a brace and it can be used to force a person's hands and wrists to adapt proper, more ergonomic movements. A health care should work with you to insure a proper and effective fit; this is the best way to get the most out of immobilizing the affected area.

Surgery should be a last resort but is required in many severe Carpal Tunnel cases. Open release surgery involves cutting the transverse carpal ligament which releases pressure on the median nerve and relieves the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. An incision is made at the base of the palm of the hand, the ligament is cut, and the skin is closed with stitches. This surgery can require up to 12 weeks for full recovery especially if it is on the dominant hand. A second surgical method produces the same results, but it is done with an instrument that is inserted into the wrist, instead of opening up the wrist. This method requires less recuperation and you can get back to work in as little as one week.

Carpal Tunnel is serious and is a source for pain, suffering, and work loss for many. Make sure to visit a qualified surgeon to get the best advice for reducing your pain. Through surgery you can almost certainly eliminate the pain. If you don't want to try surgery and the pain is manageable try resting the effected hand and arm, changing your posture, take pain medicine under a doctor's supervision.

Learn more about carpal tunnel and hand pain. Thank you Mary for sharing your carpal tunnel surgery story with me.