Carpal tunnel syndrome

At fist, nerves and tendons pass through a space called carpal tunnel or channel.
Since the carpal tunnel is relatively narrow, an important nerve which passes through this space, called the median nerve, may become irritated or tablet. The carpal tunnel syndrome (or carpal tunnel) is an association of numbness, tingling, pain and weakness in the hand caused by compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. Symptoms tend to occur mainly in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and half the ring finger because the median nerve is responsible for sensation in these areas.
Since the carpal canal is narrow, the nerve can be compressed if that space to decrease further. The carpal tunnel syndrome has several causes frequent, including:
• a rheumatic disease (e.g., tenosynovitis degenerative arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis) or fractures of the wrist next
• pregnancy
• Diabetes
• Overuse of the wrist (as happens in typists, people who work in the boxes on commercial premises in seamstresses in computer operators or certain athletes)
• thyroid disease, particularly if the thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism).
The carpal tunnel syndrome often occurs without an obvious reason. The problem affects women more often than men, possibly because women typically have carpal narrower channels. This syndrome can affect one or both hands.
Treatment
In most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, treatment begins with a wrist splint to be used mainly during the night. The patient may also be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and numbness. The injections of corticosteroids can help reduce edema but is usually only temporary relief. When no improvement occurs with nonsurgical treatments, surgery can relieve pressure on the median nerve by cutting the ligament at the base of the handle, providing more room for the nerve in the carpal tunnel.
Prevention
When using a computer keyboard or a typewriter, it is possible to reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome if care to work with the handle in a "neutral" position, with the right wrist joint, without being bent up nor down. To help achieve this goal, there are various office devices, including a cushion to support the handle and a keyboard support that adjusts to a position below the work surface. Are being developed new keyboards, including some that separate the keys into groups for the left hand and the right hand and others that fold the keyboard in the shape of a tent. It should also check the position of the hand while using a computer mouse or a "trackball" (which is a device similar to mouse, but which remains stationary while the user manipulates a ball at its upper part to move the cursor on the screen of computer) since some experts suspect that people using these computer accessories have consistently increased risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. If you continue to have symptoms, you can ask a professional to check your workplace.
To prevent carpal tunnel syndrome related to the sport, the athlete should ask the coach or doctor specializing in sports medicine which effective ways to support the wrist during high-risk activities.