Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A common condition affecting the hand and wrist, and often treated by pain management doctors is carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a condition in which the median nerve experiences a great deal of pressure.

This nerve is in the wrist and receives sensations from the thumb, index and middle fingers. When a condition causes swelling in the wrist, pressure can be placed on the median nerve. This causes carpal tunnel syndrome, which also causes tingling and pain in the thumb, middle and index fingers.

Pain management doctors say that carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by many different conditions. These conditions include obesity, pregnancy and diabetes. Carpal tunnel syndrome can also be caused by a direct injury to the wrist, hypothyroidism and arthritis.

Symptoms of this condition can include numbness, a weakened hand grip, and shooting pain from the wrist to the hand. When a patient experiences these symptoms, a jacksonville pain clinic may perform several tests to determine if you have carpal tunnel syndrome including wrist x-rays and electromyography. Wrist x-rays are specifically performed to determine if the pain is caused by carpal tunnel or arthritis. Electromyography is a test that uses electrodes to pick up electrical activity given off by your muscles.

Once a Jacksonville pain management doctor determines that you have carpal tunnel syndrome, there are several treatments that they may recommend. The first treatment may include some at-home therapy such as avoiding activities that are causing the pain or resting your wrist for longer periods of time during those activities. A pain management doctor may also recommend wearing a brace or splint on the wrist while doing these activities. Other at-home treatments include icing your wrist for approximately 10 minutes, a couple of times per hour.

Pain management doctors may also recommend pain medication. This medication can be a form of anti-inflammatory that will reduce swelling or pain. If pain medication management does not work, jacksonville pain clinics will be suggested.

Coritisone injections are also typically recommended to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a temporary fix for the pain caused in the hand and wrist. These injections reduce the inflammation and pressure on the nerve.

Physical therapy will include various stretching and motion exercises. These are used to strengthen the muscles in the wrist and decrease the inflammation and pressure on the median nerve.

If none of these procedures work and the pain is preventing you from performing daily activities, a Jacksonville pain management doctor may suggest surgery to correct the condition. This procedure removes the pressure around the median nerve. This often helps relieve the pain in the hand and wrist.

It is important, that once you start to experience symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, you start doing at-home treatments and seek the help of a doctor. If carpal tunnel is treated quickly, you reduce the risk of long-term damage to the median nerve.

For a diagnosis and treatment, you should seek the assistance of a Jacksonville pain management doctor. The doctor will provide the full exam of your hand and wrist to determine the cause and diagnosis. He or she will then be able to provide the proper treatment to relieve the pain and prevent further pain in your hand and wrist.

This disease may be diagnosed by a pain management denver and could be caused due to age.