Suffolk Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing on the Signs and Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you’re repeatedly using your hands and wrists during the day and notice numbness, tingling, or weakness in those areas, it could be carpal tunnel syndrome.

Suffolk Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has everything you need to know about carpal tunnel syndrome, including treatments.

How Does Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Occur?

This happens when a nerve in your hands is squeezed as it goes through your wrist. The tunnel itself is at the base of your hand and provides feeling to every finger except the pinky.

The nerve is compared to a hose getting kinked when repetitive movements (like typing on a keyboard, using a smartphone for an excessive amount of time, and playing a musical instrument) occur. The kink effect can become serious or permanent if it continues for an extended period of time without treatment.

What Are the Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

The typical symptoms are numbness or tingling in the fingers, hand, and wrist. There can also be a pain that is described as a feeling of electricity or shocks going into those areas. More severe pain and weakness can occur as the condition worsens.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatments

Surgery is an option for severe cases, but home treatments and adjustments will often do the trick. Proper ergonomics can help if you’re sitting at a desk on the computer all day, and a wrist brace can also help keep the wrist in an ideal position. People often experience symptoms at night, so the brace can help while sleeping too.

Some simple adjustments can also help, such as changing your sleep position, alerting your workplace in hopes of getting more ergonomic equipment, changing from manual to electric tools at home, and more. Just think of how you use your wrists and hands and what adjustments you can make from that to relieve the pressure.

To learn more about Suffolk Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit https://suffolk-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org/.