Cure Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that occurs when the median nerve (which goes from the hand through the forearm and then through a bony channel called the carpal tunnel) is squeezed at the wrist.

This puts pressure on the nerve and causes chronic tingling and numbness in the hand and wrist, with occasional shooting pain in the forearm. Other symptoms include decreased gripping strength and feelings of swelling in the fingers.

Although people blame excessive typing as a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, no conclusive evidence has linked repetitive motion to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Some conditions that may contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome include:

 

• Congenital predisposition (you were born with a narrow carpal tunnel)
• Trauma or injury to the wrist
• Hypothyroidism
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Pregnancy or menopause (due to fluid retention)
• A tumor or cyst in the carpal tunnel

If you have signs of carpal tunnel syndrome, see a specialist for an evaluation and suggestions for care. Surgery to release a trapped nerve is common, but post-surgical recovery usually takes several months. Most clinicians recommend exercises, wrist braces, medications, and therapies such as acupuncture before resorting to surgery.

 

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