Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Signs
How can you tell if you have carpal tunnel syndrome? It is a phrase that gets tossed around a lot, especially if you work in an office setting where people are performing repetitive tasks on computers on a daily basis. For as common as it has become to refer to carpal tunnel syndrome, it is very important to understand the signs of it in order to have an accurate basis for evaluating whether or not carpal tunnel is something that you, yourself, may be facing. So, here are some of the most common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Typically, pain and/or numbness will be greater in the hand that is dominant. In other words, the hand that does the most work throughout the day, and this usually matches whether you are left handed or right handed.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is often indicated by a feeling of numbness or tingling in the fingers and the hand. It is often felt most in the index and middle fingers or the thumb. It is also indicated by pain in the palm, the forearm and/or the wrist. It may be indicated by a greater amount of numbness or pain at nighttime rather than during the day. In fact, the pain has been known to wake people up. Often, people find temporary relief in shaking or rubbing the hand or wrist. Another indication of carpal tunnel syndrome is increased pain as use of the hand or wrist increases. Trouble gripping objects is also an indication. Weakness in the thumb is a big indicator. Women will often experience greater pain right before they have their period, and this too may be indicator of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Of course, the best way to determine whether you are facing carpal tunnel syndrome is go to your doctor. Your doctor will be able to rule out any other possibilities and then be able to give you suggestions as to how to address your injury either with an ergonomic evaluation by a specialist or by implementing physical support to the injured area with the use of a brace or some sort of bandage or support. Your doctor may impose certain work restrictions. These could consist of instructions for taking a break after a certain amount of time of performing one single task, like typing for example, or it could consist of eliminating an activity entirely if your doctor feels that it is the major cause.