Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common repetitive stress injuries employees suffer from. The symptoms may wake you at night or cause numbness in the morning. To alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, you must seek treatment.
According to MayoClinic, the sooner you treat carpal tunnel, the less severe it may become.
Nonsurgical options
When diagnosed early, you may not require surgical intervention. Your doctor may suggest a wrist splint to keep your wrist still when you sleep and to relieve numbness and tingling. In addition to splinting your wrist, medications are available to help with the pain and discomfort.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Motrin and Advil reduce inflammation and pain. Corticosteroids relieve pain and inflammation also. Physicians inject the carpal tunnel with cortisone for pain relief.
Surgical options
If you have severe carpal tunnel syndrome, you may require surgery. Surgeons can use two different techniques to treat the syndrome. Open surgery involves opening up the palm of the hand and freeing the nerve by cutting through the ligament. With endoscopic surgery, on the other hand, the doctor uses a device with a tiny camera to see inside the carpal tunnel. The surgeon only has to make about one or two incisions in the hand or wrist.
When you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you must take regular breaks from activities that affect your hand. Some patients use yoga to strengthen their upper body and joints. This can improve their grip and help reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel. Ultrasound therapy can also raise the temperature of body tissue to promote healing and reduce pain.
