Carpal Tunnel Prevention

By Connie Hambrock, PhD

Have you ever been carrying a cup or glass, and suddenly lost your grip? Do your hands constantly tingle or are they numb all the time? Does the pain in your wrists wake you up at night? Are you unable to make a fist? If you said “yes” to any of these questions, you may think you have carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). You may have even been diagnosed with it. Now what can you do?

“The cause of these symptoms is the compression of the median nerve at the wrist, or higher near the elbow,” according to Dr. Robert Fenell, DC, of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Because there are many factors that contribute to the causes of CTS, it is difficult to completely prevent the development of this syndrome.

Here are some helpful recommendations from the Mayo Clinic “Ergonomic modifications at work can help minimize the occupational factors that contribute to CTS. The workstation should be physically accommodating and comfortable, with proper lighting, seating and hand/wrist placement. The following is a list of preventive measures

Sleep with your wrists straight or supported.

Keep your wrists straight when using tools.

Avoid flexing and extending your wrists repeatedly.

Minimize repetitive, manual manipulations as in typing or strong grasping with the wrist in a flexed position as in driving.

Take frequent rest and stretch breaks.

Perform conditioning and stretching exercises.

There are many median nerve release exercises that massage therapists and chiropractors can share with you. These can bring fast, quality relief for many of these symptoms. Prior to deciding on CTS surgery, you may want to consider alternative avenues for relief of CTS pain and other symptoms mentioned above.