A Las Vegas surgeon told a group of pain sufferers that carpal tunnel syndrome may not be caused by repetitive use after all.
Surgeon Jonathan Sorelle, D.O., who said he performs about 2,000 surgeries a year for what in many cases is carpal tunnel, told a group that it's important to watch symptoms.
As reported by the Las Vegas Review Journal, Sorelle said that finger numbness and tingling in the hand is a symptom of carpal tunnel. Other signs include sensations that travel up the arm.
But to be sure, it's smart to have a physical exam and a nerve conduction test, known as electromyography. If it is only the two outside fingers affected, it's not carpal tunnel but instead a pinched nerve in the neck, Sorelle said.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers experience a gradual increase in pain in the wrist. The median nerve - the nerve that runs from the forearm into the palm causes pain when squeezed at the wrist.
The "tunnel" through which the median nerve travels is made of bones of ligaments. When those ligaments and tendons surrounding the nerve get irritated, numbness and pain occur.,
Sorelle said the affliction is congenital - everyone has a different sized body structure and the carpal tunnel is no different. It is different from person to person and some have narrower carpal tunnel structures than other.
Another surgeon, Steven Heithoff, D.O., told the Times Herald of Pt. Huron that the surgical procedure can take as little as 15 minutes to perform and that in most cases, provides immense relief. Often, the procedure relieves pressure that causes pain up the arm and into the shoulder.
While surgery is a solution that yields success, there are other options ranging from taking aspirin and ibuprofen to diuretics that can decrease swelling, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
There are exercises that help strengthen and stretch, which are helpful, but it is suggested to take on a new exercise routine under the care of a trained physical therapist.
Preventing carpal tunnel is possible to some degree. Taking frequent breaks to get up and walk around helps alleviate pressure on the wrists. Avoiding repetitive wrist motion is important to those who have carpal tunnel. If surgery is necessary, it will take some time to feel results, Heithoff said.
