What is carpal tunnel syndrome and can a wrist brace help improve this condition? If you ever feel numbness, tingling, or pain in your fingers, forearm, or hand, you might be a victim of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This medical condition happens when the median nerve of your hand is compressed or squeezed.

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This nerve goes all the way to your wrist, and can further lead to dysfunction in your hand, wrist, and forearm. Once you begin to feel any of the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, you should get it checked immediately, as ignoring the condition can lead to permanent dysfunction. Here are some of the main symptoms to know the indication and the ways you can treat carpal tunnel syndrome:

Cause and Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Many reasons can cause a person to have carpal tunnel syndrome, such as:

• Hereditary traits can significantly cause a person to experience carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Excessive use of hands, and repetitive movements in the exact positioning daily or for a prolonged period can put pressure on the nerves of your wrist.
• Extreme extension and flexion of your hand and wrist for a prolonged period also increases pressure on your hand’s and wrist’s nerves.
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy also cause swelling, which sometimes puts undue pressure on the nerves of your hand and wrist.
• Certain existing health conditions, such as arthritis, thyroid gland, and diabetes, are also some significant reasons for a person having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

The causes can vary from person to person. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are vast, but should not be ignored at any cost. These symptoms start gradually and even disappear after a short while, but they can get worse if not treated in time. Some common symptoms include:

• Tingling or pain that travels from your forearm towards your hand (mainly the first 4 digits thumb through ring finger).
• Pain, tingling, numbness, or burning sensations in your fingers that wake you up at night.
• Shock-like occasional sensations in your fingers, including your thumb.
• Feeling clumsiness and weakness in your hand might decrease the ability to perform daily tasks.
• Numbness, weakness, and proprioception lead to dropping objects.

Treatments for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If carpal tunnel syndrome in diagnosed at an early stage, your doctor might recommend you to mitigate the issue by non-surgical treatments, such as:

• Wearing a brace or splint at night reduces the bending of your wrist, decreasing the pressure on your nerves. Keeping your wrist in a neutral position at night and supporting the hand nerves throughout the day is the most effective treatment.
• Some anti-inflammatory medicines like Naproxen and Ibuprofen also relieve inflammation and pain.
• Changing your activities and hand movements that increase the pressure on the nerves and aggravate the symptoms also help.
• Some doctors prescribe hand gliding exercises that help your median nerve glide better.
• Anti-inflammatory steroid injections like cortisone and corticosteroid also relieve pain and inflammation.

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How a Wrist Brace is an Option for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Most people tend to bend their wrist unconsciously during their sleep, which puts pressure on the median nerve of their hand. Wearing a wrist brace keeps your hand in a neutral position, keeping you from bending it at night.

If you wear it during the daytime, there will be less pressure on the nerves while you carry out your daily activities. Wearing a wrist brace not only decreases the pain and inflammation of your fingers, wrist, and forearm, but also minimizes the symptoms and helps resolve the condition to a great extent.

Wearing a wrist brace is the most effective non-surgical option that relieves you of your pain and supports your hand movements and proper positioning. These wrist braces come in different sizes and even adjustable bands, so you can adjust the pressure as per their comfort and need.

Carpal Tunnel & Wrist Braces: Conclusion

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition especially with the increase in at home work and digital attachment to our gadgets. The patient can be relieved of pain and symptoms through early diagnosis and treatment. There are many ways of treating this condition, including non-surgical and surgical treatments; however, the most effective conservative way of treatment is wearing a wrist brace throughout the night and even during the daytime if needed.

If you are looking for a wrist brace or education on this condition, call us for a consultation at ActiveCare Physical Therapy ©. This wrist brace will help relieve you of the burning and pain and minimize the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

ActiveCare Physical Therapy ©
29 West 38th Street
Suite 601
New York, NY 10018
(212) 777-4374
staff@bestptnyc.com

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