What are Ways to Get of Carpal Tunnel?

Posted on 02/19/2018

If you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS, you may have some painful and debilitating symptoms that are getting in the way of your everyday life. They could be preventing you from doing your job properly, or from taking part in the hobbies that you enjoy the most. Whatever the effect that CTS is having on your life, it certainly won’t be a positive one. Thankfully, carpal tunnel syndrome is a completely reversible condition and if it doesn’t disappear of its own accord, there are things that you can do to help.
 

Why do I have carpal tunnel syndrome?

Although it is not always obvious what has caused a patient to develop CTS, there are certain things that make someone more likely to suffer from the condition. Some of the people at greater risk of carpal tunnel syndrome include:

-         People with a diagnosis of repetitive strain injury (RSI)

-         Women who are pregnant

-         Patients who have suffered an injury or trauma to their hand, wrist or forearm

-         Those with a family history of CTS

-         Patients with a diagnosis of some other health conditions, including diabetes and arthritis

Carpal tunnel syndrome is also more prevalent amongst women and is more likely to occur as someone gets older.
 

What can I do to help my CTS at home?

In some instances, carpal tunnel syndrome does go away without any intervention. However, there are some ways in which you can reduce your symptoms and potentially get rid of CTS without the need to visit a doctor.

One of the easiest ways to relieve the symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome is to use cold therapy. This will reduce any swelling and inflammation in the hand and wrist, and subsequently relieve pressure on the median nerve. Try wrapping some ice in a cloth and place it on your wrist for 10-15 minutes every hour.

Stretching and relaxing your affected hand and wrist is also essential for treating the symptoms of CTS. You should especially take a break from doing things that trigger your symptoms as much as possible. When you rest, shake your hands out to loosen your muscles and tendons, and then relax them.

There are a number of supportive devices that can be bought to help with CTS. These include wrist splints and braces, wrist supports for computer keyboards and ergonomic computer mice. If you work in an office, speak to your HR department and see what they may be able to offer you in the way of improving your condition.

Finally, some over the counter medications may help to alleviate any pain that you have. You can also consider taking NSAIDs which will ease inflammation, and subsequently make movement easier and less uncomfortable.
 

What professional support is available?

If self-care for CTS isn’t helping, then you should arrange an appointment with a specialist hand/wrist doctor. There are several types of professional support that he/she may be able to offer.

One of the first treatments you may be recommended is a course of corticosteroids. These are strong, prescription-only drugs that reduce swelling and inflammation on a temporary basis but have greater success than using NSAIDs. Many steroids are also available as an injection directly into the affected area.

Our doctor may decide to refer you for a course of professional physiotherapy. This involves careful manipulation of the fingers, hand and wrist and specific exercises that you will need to follow at home.

Finally, if other treatments have not provided adequate relief, our doctor may recommend that you consider carpal tunnel release surgery. This involves making incisions into the ligament around the carpal tunnel to take pressure off the median nerve, then reattaching the ligaments in a way that creates more room and prevents the nerve from becoming pinched again.

Although there are ways to drastically improve the symptoms of CTS, there is unfortunately no guarantee that it won’t return again in the future. However, by taking precautions with your hands and wrists, and minimizing the amount of time you spend performing repetitive motions with them, you can reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Contact us for more information.