Burning pain? Intermittent tingling in your wrist hand and fingers? Itchy numbness? You may be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The only way to find out for sure is to consult your doctor who will be able to diagnose your condition and discuss treatment options with you.
If you do experience CTS symptoms regularly, there are several coping strategies you can adopt to relieve the pain and manage your condition long term. We take a look at 5 ways to ease pain associated with CTS, reduce your risk of long-term nerve damage and improve your quality of life. If all these fail, you should go to your doctor and look at carpal tunnel treatment options.
Reduce or avoid repetitive activities
No doubt you find your symptoms are exacerbated by particular activities that rely on wrist and hand movement, such as typing, writing, playing video games, painting and lifting weights. When you identify an activity that brings on pain, it’s important to stop, reduce or modify the activity until you’re no longer experiencing symptoms. The key is to manage the time spent on such activities so as not to aggravate the problem.
Try an orthotic
Wearing a wrist splint can help with the stabilization of the wrist by keeping it in a well-aligned, neutral position. Rather than choosing a soft, elastic splint, opt for one that is firm and structured that will immobilise the wrist. Wearing your splint while you sleep and positioning your wrist so that it is elevated will help to ease CTS-related pain.
Apply ice to your wrist
Applying ice to the affected area will help to reduce tendon inflammation and ease any pain you may be feeling. Don’t apply ice directly to the skin. One simple way to use ice to ease inflammation is to wrap your hand in a towel and put it into a bucket of ice for 10-15 minutes. Do this several times throughout the day.
Keep your hands warm
Many people with CTS find their pain increases when it is cold. Wearing fingerless gloves can really help if you find your hands are always cold; they will keep your joints warm while not impeding your dexterity. You may also want to try some warm water therapy where you simply immerse your hand and wrist in very warm water for several minutes at a time. Just like ice therapy, this is most effective if you do it several times a day.
Think about ergonomics
We know how important it is to use ergonomic seating when you spend a lot of time sitting but it’s also important to think about how you position your hands and arms, especially when working on a keyboard. The idea is to keep your wrist in as neutral a position as possible, i.e., not overextended or flexed (wearing an orthotic as mentioned above may help). This may mean adjusting the height of your chair and altering the position of your keyboard and mouse to enable you to keep your wrist straight.
If, despite adopting the above strategies, the pain in your wrist simply will not subside, it may be time to consider carpal tunnel surgery or other pain management strategies such as anti-inflammatory cortisone steroid injections. Of course, this is something to be discussed with your doctor.
