What is carpal tunnel syndrome? CTS is a condition of the wrist and the hand that brings discomfort and interferes with routine activities. It is also one of the common causes of hand and wrist pain that is experienced by individuals who do repetitive jobs. Whether you have ever had tingling, numbness, or pain in your hands, you may be curious to know whether you have CTS. On a positive note, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is treatable, though in most instances, it is controllable through early management.
In this blog, we will see what CTS is, its impact on the wrist and the hand, and how you can detect symptoms of CTS early. We are also going to learn the anatomy of the median nerve, the most common reasons, and risk factors.
Let us split it into parts.
The definition of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that arises when the nerve called the median nerve, which connects your forearm to your palm, is pressed when running through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. The carpal tunnel is a small hole in your wrist, which is enclosed by bones and tissues. When this tunnel tightens or when the tunnel swells, it causes pressure on the median nerve, resulting in the general discomfort and pain that are symptoms often associated with CTS.
The Median Nerve supplies the sensation to the thumb, index, and middle fingers. It also regulates part of the muscles at the base of the thumb. When the nerve becomes pressed, several symptoms are exhibited, one of them being tingling, numbness, and even pain.
CTS may evolve slowly, and symptoms can deteriorate over the course of time if they are not treated. Nevertheless, CTS is sometimes treatable with non-invasive approaches such as splints, carpal aid patch, rest, physical treatment, and ergonomic adjustments when it is detected in the early stages.
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The Role of the Median Nerve in CTS
In order to get to know about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, we have to first examine the median nerve and its role. The median nerve starts in the forearm, and it passes through the carpal tunnel into your palm. It is both an important sensory and motor nerve in your hand. It sensitizes the palm, the thumb, the index, and the middle fingers, as well as assisting in fine motor abilities such as gripping, pinching, etc.
An increase in the pressure in the carpal tunnel will squeeze the median nerve. This further leads to impaired transmission of the signals by the nerve between the hand and the brain. This causes the typical CTS symptoms, which are numbness, tingling, and weakness.
The symptoms are more severe as the median nerve is compressed. Untreated CTS may result in devastating permanent nerve damage and inactivation of the hand over time. For example, you might find it difficult to hold anything or even to do simple acts like holding a pen or a cup of coffee.
Suppose that the median nerve is a garden hose with water (nerve signals) running through it. When the hose is pinched, the water supply is cut off, and this causes the water to accumulate pressure. In a similar manner, CTS disrupts the nerve impulses, leading to pain and malfunctioning of the wrist and the hand.
How CTS Affects Your Wrist and Hand
Compression of the median nerve may cause various unpleasant consequences in your arms and hands. These symptoms will occur gradually but may be aggravated when no treatment is done. The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is most likely to have the following symptoms:
Tingling and sensation of Numbness
The tingling or numb feeling of the hand, primarily of the thumb, middle fingers, and index finger, is among the initial indicators of CTS. You can get the sensation that your hand has lost its feeling. This symptom tends to get aggravated during the night when going to sleep, with your wrist being bent, which tends to add pressure to the median nerve.
Pain
Individuals with CTS usually feel pain in their wrists and hands. They are able to spread the pain to the forearm and even up to the shoulder. It may be accentuated when doing activities like typing, grasping, or holding.
Weakness
You are likely to feel weak in your hand as your nerve gets squeezed over time. As an example, you could not hold a pen or a cup firmly. This is a weakness that may be challenging in daily activities, including opening jars or turning keys.
Such symptoms may be severe. In the case of mild instances, it could be intermittent. Whereas in severe instances, the pain and numbness could be constant and even more debilitating.
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Common Causes and Risk Factors for CTS
Repetitive movements or activities that strain the wrist are usually associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But a variety of other factors may also be the reason for its occurrence. These are the most frequent causes and risk factors as follows:
Repetitive Movements
The repetitive motion of the hand and wrist, which may include typing, using a mouse, or working with hand tools, is one of the major causes of CTS. Such activities constantly strain the carpal tunnel and the median nerve.
As an example, people who use a computer and spend considerable time behind a computer are more likely to have CTS since they spend time typing and using a mouse.
Wrist Injuries
An injury to the wrist, e.g., a sprain or a fracture, can change the carpal tunnel structure and increase the strain on the median nerve.
Genetic Factors
There are individuals who have a higher predisposing factor for developing CTS because of their genes. Being genetically prone to the disease, you might also be more vulnerable to CTS if your carpal tunnel is not large enough by default.
Pregnancy
The fluid retention during pregnancy may also cause swelling of the wrist, compressing the median nerve. This is a huge risk factor for pregnancy, leading to CTS.
Health Conditions
There are some diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and hypothyroidism that may predispose to CTS. These conditions have the ability to result in the nerves being inflamed or damaged, and this plays a supporting role in the compression.
Understanding CTS and Taking Action
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common condition, yet it does not have to disrupt your life. Learning more about what CTS is, what it does, and how it can be detected early enough can help you manage the problem. The trick to preventing long-term harm is early diagnosis.
You should seek help when you experience some symptoms, such as tingling, numbness, or pain sensations in your wrists or hands. It has a wide variety of cures to offer, beginning with an adjustment of ergonomics and non-invasive solutions like Carpal Aid relief.
Do not overlook the symptoms. Early intervention will help you maintain the health of your wrists, and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome will not impact your routine.
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