Carpal tunnel syndrome can affect people of any age, but is primarily abundant in those between the ages of 20 and 50 years of age. This age grouping is mainly composed of those in the workforce that performs repetitive wrist or hand movements on a daily basis. In some studies, it has shown that women tend to suffer from carpal tunnel more than men, but this is not always the case.
Because of this type of repetitive stress injury, tendons themselves can become inflamed in the carpal tunnel, which can cause the median nerve to be compressed in the wrist. If inflammation is particularly slight, symptoms may also be mild, including numbness or tingling in the hands or wrists. For some people, symptoms are mild enough that they’re active for some time before they are actively disabled by them. However, once carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms appear, it’s not likely that they will go away without treatment, and the syndrome is also degenerative, in that it can get worse over time. If you’ve suffered previous injuries or trauma to your hands or wrists, you may also be more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. If you have lupus, diabetes, or breast cancer, or if you have been pregnant, you may also be susceptible to developing carpal tunnel syndrome; other medical conditions may also make you susceptible to developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
The first thing you do if you want to battle carpal tunnel syndrome is to seek treatment early and get a diagnosis if you think it’s what you have. Do this regardless of how well you are or how severe your symptoms are.
Being proactively prepared so that you can minimize and even eliminate symptoms will help prevent further damage, and will also keep symptoms from reappearing in the future. It may also help you to talk with someone else who has carpal tunnel syndrome, but remember that his or her experience can be very different from your own. Therefore, what works for someone else may not work for you. Do keep an open mind and try different possible treatments until you find something that works for you.
Getting help is the first step to battling carpal tunnel, and seeking treatment early on is the best solution regardless of age or severity of the symptoms. Having a proactive treatment plan in place will keep you from creating further damage to the tendons and median nerve of your hands as well as giving you the education you need in order to keep your symptoms from flaring up in the future. Talking with other people who have had experience with carpal tunnel syndrome can be beneficial, but remember that not everyone’s situation is the same. What might work for someone else may not work for you. Although it is good to keep an open mind and try different possible treatments, yours may differ slightly that your neighbor’s overall plan.
Obtaining a wrist brace can be one of the most effective tools when dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome. Whether you choose a short or long brace, one that you wear during the evening or the day, there are a number of choices to help you gain your wrist strength back and guide through your days with a minimal amount of discomfort. Some wrist braces can go around the hand while leaving mobility for your fingers and thumb while others are designed specifically for the wrist and do not include the fingers in the brace at all. No matter which brace you and your family physician choose is best for your recovery plan, be sure to include regular stretching and exercises in order for the muscles to regain strength and avoid atrophy while healing.
Tom Nicholson has discovered a unique set of carpal tunnel exercises that have helped carpal tunnel sufferers all over the world. They are simple, easy to follow and can be done right from home. Take a look at his sight and find out what you can do to help prevent your CTS from progressing and easing the pain you feel now.
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