Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
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Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when tendons or
ligaments in the wrist become enlarged, often from inflammation,
after being aggravated. The narrowed tunnel of bones and ligaments
in the wrist pinches the nerves that reach the fingers and the
muscles at the base of the thumb. The first symptoms usually appear
at night. Symptoms range from a burning, tingling numbness in the
fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers, to
difficulty gripping or making a fist, to dropping things. Some cases
of carpal tunnel syndrome are due to work-related cumulative trauma
of the wrist. Diseases or conditions that predispose to the
development of carpal tunnel syndrome include pregnancy, diabetes,
and obesity.
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Carpal tunnel syndrome is treated by immobilizing
the wrist in a splint to minimize or prevent pressure on the nerves.
If that fails, patients are sometimes given anti-inflammatory drugs
or injections of cortisone in the wrist to reduce the swelling.
There is also a surgical procedure in which doctors can open the
wrist and cut the ligament at the bottom of the wrist to relieve the
pressure. However, only a small percentage of patients require
surgery.
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Approximately 1 percent of individuals with carpal
tunnel syndrome develop permanent injury. The majority recover
completely and can avoid reinjury by changing the way they do
repetitive movements, the frequency with which they do the
movements, and the amount of time they rest between periods when
they perform the movements.
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Much of the on-going research on carpal tunnel syndrome
is aimed at prevention and rehabilitation. The National Institute of
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) funds
research on carpal tunnel syndrome.
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American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA)
National Chronic Pain Outreach Association (NCPOA)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin
Diseases (NIAMS)
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