Improper Posture At Work Place And Obesity Can Increase The Risk Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!

Employees who work at desk can experience carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) at some point in their life.

This is due to the poor posture of your hands. Improper wrist shape is associated with a higher incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome.

This is the most common complaint among computer users. Till now the exact cause of CTS is not determined.

carpal-tunnel-syndrome

Due to carpal tunnel syndrome, most of the people lose lots of time from their jobs and they are in a lot of pain. The treatment for this condition varies widely.

In order to get relief you need to do some exercises during a short break at your computer.

A 5-7 minutes desk exercise is very beneficial and gives relief from your chronic pain.

By doing the exercise you can reverse most of the common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The exercise not only helps in relieving carpal tunnel syndrome, but also beneficial for back pain, neck pain, computer vision syndrome, headaches, and shoulder pain.

Carpal tunnel syndrome linked to some medical conditions:

Carpal tunnel syndrome is not only the symptom of poor posture, but also due to certain medical conditions. Those conditions include: rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, thyroid conditions, and menopause.

Some studies told that intense repetitive motions and keyboard data entry actually reduces the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Resuming the extensive repetitive activities can worsen the symptoms of CTS once you get the onset of those symptoms.

An important advice for you to get relief from carpal tunnel syndrome is, change your work habits, take frequent breaks, give rest to yourself and stretch. Get proper evaluation by a hand specialist and take treatment in the early stages to get relief from CTS symptoms.

If you can’t get relief from conservative treatments, then follow a simple surgical procedure called as endoscopic carpal tunnel release. It is extremely effective in relieving the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and those symptoms have a very, very low recurrence rate. This is minimally invasive and painless. You will recover from CTS very quickly.

Carpal tunnel syndrome linked to obesity:

25% of the population who are obese have carpal tunnel syndrome. Weight loss in obese patients does not give relief from CTS. Experts suggest there is a genetic link between the two conditions. People who are over weight are at a higher risk of developing CTS.

Women are more prone to carpal tunnel syndrome than men:

Women are three times more likely than men to develop CTS. Sometimes women use more force to perform many tasks which involve hand movements.

  • To get relief from pain, type lightly, use a big pen that is suitable for prolonged handwriting.
  • Give break and stretch and move your hands frequently.
  • Don’t bend your wrist up or down.
  • Keep your hands warm, because cold fingers can develop pain and stiffness.

Acupuncture and yoga in treating carpal tunnel syndrome:

For some extent, acupuncture and yoga can relieve early onset carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Stretching exercises in yoga have shown beneficial effects on tendons and may give some temporary relief from CTS symptoms.

Acupuncture causes to release endorphins. These are the body’s natural morphine. Acupuncture helps by minimizing the painful effects of nerve compression.

Some of you get relief from yoga, various therapeutic methods, acupuncture or acupressure. The thing here you need to remember is; just don’t substitute alternative treatments for a proper medical diagnosis and treatment.

Cold laser therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome:

This is a new technology which can reduce the pain associated with CTS. It can also be called as low-level laser therapy. It is not only helpful for CTS but also used for arthritis pain, soft tissue damages, hamstring injuries, stress injuries, and tendonitis.

This therapy speeds up the healing process after injury to fingers, hands, and wrists. If any one of these areas is injured, soft tissue patches are accumulated with watery fluid and cause severe and painful swelling. This condition can also cause long-time soreness.

The infrared laser light affects the lymphatic system and maintains the balanced fluid levels in your body, thus reducing the pain and swelling. You can easily move your joints without any pain.

It is an easy therapy and won’t cause any pain while receiving. It is a hand-held flashlight like device that focuses on injured tissues under your skin. To enhance the benefits you need to use 15 minutes a session for three times a week.

Treating carpal tunnel syndrome:

Don’t delay in seeking the treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. Usually the treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome in its early stages consists of decreasing the inflammation of the tendons.

The most familiar treatment for treating carpal tunnel syndrome without the use of any drugs or injection is a cock up night splint. This device helps keeps your wrist in a neutral position during sleep to prevent the bent position.

The symptoms of CTS often worsen at night. This is due to your hand positioning at the same level of the heart while lying down and accumulation of fluid within the soft tissues of the canal. Don’t wear the splint throughout the day, because wearing throughout the day can cause other physical problems.

Non-steroid anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or Advil is another option for treating the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Injecting corticosteroids such as cortisone within the carpal canal can relieve the pain quickly by reducing the swelling of tendons.

High vitamin B6 dosage is also helpful. It acts as a physiological diuretic to decrease the swelling on the tendons.

CTS is not caused by typing or using the computer alone. It can be easily diagnosed and treated during the early stages. If you experience the symptoms of CTS, make an appointment with a specialist who can diagnose and treat your condition.