Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: An Overview
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
There are 8 bones in our wrists called carpals. They form a tunnel like structure. That is how carpal tunnel got its name. Finger movements are controlled by flexor tendons, which are found within this tunnel. The median nerve reaches sensory cells in the hand, through this pathway of tunnel.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful and progressive condition that occurs in the wrist. It is caused by the compression of the median nerve in the wrist. The median nerve runs into the hand starting from the forearm. When it becomes squeezed or pressed at the wrist, its message carrying and receiving ability from the brain gets inhibited. It is not necessary that the whole median nerve be pressed to cause carpal tunnel syndrome. The syndrome is caused when a point on the nerve is pressed. As a result of this compression the nerve does not function properly and causes carpal tunnel syndrome.
1 out of every 100 people is affected by carpal tunnel syndrome at some point in their life. It is commonly caused in the women of the age group of 30-50 years. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also known as Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Carpal tunnel syndrome is inclusive of the (RSI) related soft tissue injuries.
What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Though there are various possibilities behind the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, the basic cause is the compression of tunnel walls. As the tunnel walls compress, they put pressure on the median nerve. As the median nerve gets stressed, it causes carpal tunnel syndrome.
Congenital predisposition is also a cause of carpal tunnel disorder. In a majority of cases the carpal tunnel is smaller than the normal, which causes the median nerve to stress.
The syndrome can develop quickly, if the wrist has been fractured or injured. Rheumatoid Arthritis is also a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.
In some cases repetitive stress induced carpal tunnel strain causes this syndrome. If a person’s occupation involves, gripping, typing or digging, the hand gets strained and it directly strains the median nerve.
Repetitive wrist and hand action results in the injury and swelling of the subcutaneous tissues. These tissues include muscle, ligament, fascia, sheaths, tendon, blood vessels and peripheral and retinaculum nerve. Due to the small and restricted passage of the tunnel, these swollen tissues can compress together and create concentrated pressure.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can also be caused due to some trauma based incidents. These causes include fracture or injury of the wrist or one of the arm bones. Internal hemorrhaging in the wrist leads to formation of hematoma which causes the syndrome. If any one of the carpal bones of the wrist gets dislocated, it leads to carpal syndrome. Obesity is another common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. Women who take contraceptive pills can also go on to develop this condition.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The early symptoms include tingling, numbness and burning in the thumb and the index and middle fingers. People suffering from this syndrome, find it hard to grip things, or make a fist. The symptom grows to a severe pain in the hand and restricts the movement of the hand at all. A person gradually loses his ability to squeeze things. They may even find it very hard to tie their shoe laces and picking things up becomes a challenge.
In the worst cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, the patients are unable to differentiate between hot and cold things by touch.
Who is at Risk?
People who are involved in assembly line work are at the maximum risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. However it can also develop in the people who are constantly related to any of the following activities or professions:
Computer keyboard typing or typewriter typing
Driving a vehicle
Surgeons and Dentists
People involved in exhaustive activity of hands like drilling, digging.
Avoiding repetitive and exhaustive activities related to hand movement, is the first instruction for someone suffering with carpal tunnel syndrome. The patient must abstain from such activities in order to give relief to their hand and free the median nerve of pressure.
Stretching exercises also helps in treating the syndrome as exercising helps in maintaining blood flow normal in the nerves.
Medicines like corticosteroid and prescription based NSAID’s can help in relieving the syndrome. If the condition gets worse, there is the option of surgery.
You should consult your doctor immediately if you feel you may be suffering with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
By: Michael Jason
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Michael Jason writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome please visit www.carpal-tunnel-syndrome.org/ and for additional Carpal Tunnel Syndrome related articles please visit the following article page www.carpal-tunnel-syndrome.org/carpaltunnel-articles/
Ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel: Mtazamo Mfupi Ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel ni nini? Kuna mifupa minane katika mkono wetu inayoitwa carpal. Wao hufanyiza muundo unaofanana na handaki. Hivyo ndivyo mfereji wa carpal ulivyopata jina lake. Miendo ya vidole inadhibitiwa na tendoni za flexor, ambazo hupatikana ndani ya handaki hilo. Mishipa ya neva ya kati hufikia chembe za hisi katika mkono, kupitia njia hii ya handaki. Ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel ni ugonjwa unaosababisha maumivu na ugonjwa unaoendelea katika kiwiko cha mkono. Huo husababishwa na kukandamiza kwa neva ya katikati ya mkono. Mishipa ya neva ya katikati huingia mkononi kuanzia mkono wa mbele. Wakati wa kushikamana na mkono, uwezo wa kupeleka na kupokea ujumbe kutoka kwa ubongo hupunguzwa. Si lazima neva yote ya katikati ionyeshwe shinikizo ili kusababisha ugonjwa wa handaki la mkono. Ugonjwa huo husababishwa wakati sehemu fulani ya neva inapofunikwa. Kwa sababu ya mfadhaiko huo, neva hiyo haifanyi kazi ifaavyo na husababisha ugonjwa wa handaki la mkono. Watu 1 kati ya 100 huathiriwa na ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel Syndrome wakati fulani katika maisha yao. Kwa kawaida huathiri wanawake wenye umri wa miaka 30-50. Ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel pia unajulikana kama Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) ni ugonjwa wa misuli laini inayohusiana na RSI. Ni Nini Kinachosababisha Ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel? Ingawa kuna uwezekano mbalimbali wa kusababisha ugonjwa wa handaki la mkono, kisababishi kikuu ni kukandamiza kuta za handaki hilo. Wakati kuta za handaki zinapokandamiza, zinafanya msukumo kwenye neva ya katikati. Wakati neva ya kati inapokuwa na mkazo, husababisha ugonjwa wa handaki la mkono. Uwezo wa kuzaliwa pia husababisha ugonjwa wa handaki la mkono. Katika visa vingi handaki la mkono ni dogo kuliko kawaida, jambo linalosababisha mshipa wa katikati kusumbuliwa. Ugonjwa huo waweza kutokea upesi, ikiwa mkono umevunjika au umejeruhiwa. Ugonjwa wa rheumatoid arthritis pia husababisha ugonjwa wa carpal tunnel syndrome. Katika visa fulani, ugonjwa huo husababishwa na mkazo unaorudiwa-rudiwa unaosababishwa na mkazo wa kifua. Kama kazi ya mtu inahusisha, kushika, kuandika au kuchimba, mkono hupata mvutano na moja kwa moja mvutano neva ya kati. Mmenyuko wa mkono na mkono unaorudiwa-rudiwa husababisha jeraha na uvimbe wa tishu za chini ya ngozi. Viungo hivi ni pamoja na misuli, ligament, fascia, sheaths, tendon, mishipa ya damu na neva ya peripheral na retinaculum. Kwa sababu ya njia ndogo na iliyozuiwa ya handaki hilo, tishu hizo zilizofukuka zaweza kukandamiza pamoja na kutokeza shinikizo kubwa. Carpal tunnel syndrome pia inaweza kusababishwa kutokana na baadhi ya matukio ya trauma msingi. Sababu hizo zinatia ndani kuvunjika au kujeruhiwa kwa mkono au mojawapo ya mifupa ya mkono. Mvua ya damu ya ndani katika mkono husababisha kuundwa kwa hematoma ambayo husababisha ugonjwa huo. Ikiwa mfupa wowote wa mkono wa mkono unapotea, hilo husababisha ugonjwa wa mkono wa mkono. Kunenepa kupita kiasi ni kisababishi kingine cha kawaida cha ugonjwa wa handaki la mkono. Wanawake wanaotumia dawa za kuzuia mimba wanaweza pia kupatwa na hali hiyo. Dalili za ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel ni kama vile maumivu ya kidole, uchovu, na uchungu katika kidole gumba, kidole cha mbele na kidole cha kati. Watu wanaopatwa na ugonjwa huu, hupata ugumu wa kukamata vitu, au kufanyiza ngumi. Dalili hiyo hukua na kuwa maumivu makali mkononi na kupunguza kabisa mwendo wa mkono. Hatua kwa hatua mtu hupoteza uwezo wake wa kukandamiza vitu. Huenda hata wakaona ni vigumu sana kufunga kamba za viatu vyao na kukusanya vitu inakuwa changamoto. Katika visa mabaya zaidi vya ugonjwa wa handaki, wagonjwa hawawezi kutofautisha kati ya vitu vyenye joto na vyenye baridi kwa kugusa. Ni Nani Walio Hatarini? Watu wanaohusika katika kazi ya mstari wa mkusanyiko wako katika hatari kubwa ya kupatwa na ugonjwa wa carpal tunnel syndrome. Hata hivyo, inaweza pia kuendeleza katika watu ambao ni daima kuhusiana na yoyote ya shughuli zifuatazo au taaluma: Kompyuta keyboard kuandika au typewriter kuandika kuendesha gari madaktari wa upasuaji na madaktari wa meno watu kushiriki katika shughuli ya kutosha ya mikono kama kuchimba, kuchimba. Kuepuka shughuli za kurudia-rudia na zenye kuchosha zinazohusiana na mwendo wa mkono, ndiyo maagizo ya kwanza kwa mtu anayeteseka na ugonjwa wa handaki la mkono. Mgonjwa lazima aepuke shughuli kama hizo ili kuondoa shinikizo kwenye mkono wake na kuondoa shinikizo kwenye neva ya katikati. Mazoezi ya kunyoosha pia husaidia katika kutibu ugonjwa huo kwa kuwa mazoezi husaidia kudumisha mtiririko wa damu katika neva. Dawa kama vile corticosteroid na dawa za kuua viini zisizo za kinga za binadamu zinaweza kusaidia kupunguza ugonjwa huo. Ikiwa hali hiyo inazidi kuwa mbaya, kuna uwezekano wa kufanyiwa upasuaji. Unapaswa kushauriana na daktari wako mara moja ikiwa unahisi kwamba unaweza kuwa unateseka na Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Michael Jason, mwandishi wa makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala ya makala. Kwa maelezo zaidi kuhusu ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel, tafadhali tembelea www.carpal-tunnel-syndrome.org na kwa makala zaidi zinazohusiana na ugonjwa wa Carpal Tunnel, tafadhali tembelea ukurasa wa makala ufuatao: www.carpal-tunnel-syndrome.org