Are you experiencing pain, tingling, or numbness in your hands? Having trouble gripping objects? You may be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, and you’re not alone! Carpal tunnel syndrome is extremely common and the likelihood of experiencing it only gets greater with age. Luckily, there are many treatments to help relieve pain and regain your full range of motion.
What Causes Carpal Tunnel?
Carpal tunnel most commonly occurs due to repetitive motions that we do day in and day out. Typing, playing video games, construction work, and so much more can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. There are also a number of risk factors that contribute to the likelihood of getting carpal tunnel syndrome and the severity of it. Heightened risk factors include:
- Obesity
- Prior wrist injury
- Alcoholism
- Health conditions such as arthritis or certain types of cancer
- Workplace factors
- Age
Carpal Tunnel Symptoms
Symptoms are usually mild to begin with and gradually worsen over time, especially if left untreated. Common symptoms include:
- Tingling or numbness in your hand and arm
- This can range from feeling like an electric shock to pins and needles to complete numbness and travel from the hand up through the arm
- Muscle weakness
- You may find yourself struggling to get or keep a good grip on an object you never had trouble grabbing before, this often gets more and more noticeable over time
- Trouble performing delicate tasks
- Buttoning a shirt, writing, crafts such as sewing and knitting become harder and harder to do
Other common culprits of these symptoms can include arthritis, trigger finger, and DeQuervian’s. This is why it is important to visit an orthopedic specialist to determine the true condition and determine if orthopedic surgery is necessary.
Carpal Tunnel Treatment
Thankfully, there are a number of treatments for carpal tunnel that can offer effective and long-lasting relief. Here at Orthopedic Specialists, our expert orthopedic doctors and orthopedic surgeons are well versed in treatment methods.
Carpal Tunnel Surgery
A simple surgical procedure called a “release” is often employed to provide fast relief for this condition. In most cases, release procedures are done on an outpatient basis at our surgical center, with the patient able to return home that day.
Nonsurgical Treatment
There are a wide variety of nonsurgical carpal tunnel treatments offered by Orthopedic Specialists.
Physical Therapy: We offer a wide variety of physical therapy services that can help rebuild strength, restore mobility, and reduce pain. These services include carpal tunnel exercises specifically design to address the condition, aqua therapy, and other physical therapy services.
Patient Education: Our orthopedic experts aim to not only treat chronic conditions but offer education and resources to help prevent conditions and side effects. There are a wide variety of minor lifestyle changes that can make a big difference when dealing with carpal tunnel. A consultation with one of our experts can provide you with all the tools you need to manage your condition!
Durable Medical Equipment: Each of our locations offers durable medical equipment that can help treat and prevent carpal tunnel. This includes, but is not limited to, splints and braces, wrist supports, orthopedic exercise products, and sports medicine equipment.
PRP Injections: Platelet-rich plasma injections are an innovative treatment that can help a wide variety of health conditions. Platelet-rich plasma is plasma with more platelets than is typically found in the blood. The concentration of platelets, and thereby the concentration of growth factors, can be 5 to 10 times greater than usual which promotes greater healing!
Get Rid of Carpal Tunnel Today
Our orthopedic care team is trusted by more patients, athletic programs, and peers than any other orthopedic practice in the region. Schedule an appointment today!
