Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful progressive condition caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist. It occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.

Symptoms usually start gradually, with pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm.

As symptoms worsen, people might feel tingling during the day, and decreased grip strength may make it difficult to form a fist, grasp small objects, or perform other manual tasks. In some cases no direct cause of the syndrome can be identified.

Most likely the disorder is due to a congenital predisposition - the carpal tunnel is simply smaller in some people than in others. However, the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome is especially common in those performing assembly line work.

Treatment

Initial treatment generally involves resting the affected hand and wrist for at least 2 weeks, avoiding activities that may worsen symptoms, and immobilizing the wrist in a splint to avoid further damage from twisting or bending.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other nonprescription pain relievers, may ease pain.

Cool (ice) packs and prednisone (taken by mouth) or lidocaine (injected directly into the wrist) can relieve swelling and pressure on the median nerve and provide immediate, temporary relief.

Stretching and strengthening exercises can be helpful in people whose symptoms have abated. If symptoms last for 6 months or more, doctors may recommend surgery to sever the band of tissue around the wrist and reduce pressure on the median nerve.

Prognosis

Recurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome following treatment is rare. The majority of patients recover completely. To prevent workplace-related carpal tunnel syndrome, workers can do on-the-job conditioning, perform stretching exercises, take frequent rest breaks, wear splints to keep wrists straight, and use correct posture and wrist position. Wearing fingerless gloves can help keep hands warm and flexible.

Research

Several studies report that people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are helped when given 100 mg of vitamin B6 three times per day.

Although some researchers have found benefits with lesser amounts, using less than 100 mg taken three times per day for several months has often failed.

Most doctors assume that people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome who respond to vitamin B6 supplementation do so because of an underlying deficiency.

However, at least one group of researchers has found vitamin B6 to "dramatically" reduce pain in people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome who did not appear to be B6-deficient.

Reference for Carpal Tunnel Article

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National Institutes of Health

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