Carpal tunnel syndrome is a very common condition that causes pain, tingling and numbness in hands, arms or wrists. This pain is caused when the main nerves to the hand are pressed as it travels through the “carpal tunnel,” which is located at the base of the hand and wrist.
Several million people in the United States are affected by carpal tunnel syndrome. Thankfully, there are a variety of methods to help treat its painful symptoms; some are surgical and others are non-surgical. With such a high percentage of the population affected by CTS, it’s no wonder the carpal tunnel surgical procedure is the second most popular procedure in musculoskeletal surgery.
So, how can you lower your risk of carpal tunnel syndrome?
- Keep your wrists straight. Try to keep them as straight as possible when sleeping and using tools.
- Give your wrists and hands a rest! Take frequent breaks from typing or other activities where your wrist is in a flexed position.
- Stretch! Be sure to keep your hands and wrists stretched, before and after activities.
- Monitor and manage chronic health conditions, such as arthritis, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism and diabetes.
- Avoid sports or activities that put pressure on the carpal tunnel. This includes heavy weight lifting or long distance cycling with improper handlebars.
Once the colder weather sets in, we tend to see a big uptick in the number of flare ups among our carpal tunnel patients. The low temperatures stiffen up joints, which can cause a lack of flexibility. If you have carpal tunnel and you’re noticing that your symptoms seem to be flaring up more often or your symptoms are getting worse, please give us a call or schedule an appointment to meet with one of our therapists today.
Early treatment by a physical therapist or doctor is critical in keeping carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms at bay, leaving surgery as the last option. At Advanced Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy, we can treat carpal tunnel syndrome with a variety of methods, which include, cold laser therapy, physical therapy, splinting, physiotherapy, stretching and more.
Advanced Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy is conveniently located at 18 Newark Pompton Turnpike in Riverdale, NJ. So if you’re looking for carpal tunnel treatment in Northern New Jersey, please contact us today!