Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
It occurs due to the compression of a nerve, the median nerve, due to the increase in structures that, together with the median nerve, pass through a narrow channel called the Carpal Tunnel.
Signs and symptoms:
Pain or numbness in the hands at night, especially after intensive use during the day. The pain can be intense enough to wake the patient up. There is decreased sensation in the fingers, with the exception of the little finger, and a sensation of sweating in the hands. The pain can go to the arm and even the shoulder. Activities that promote wrist flexion for a long period of time can increase pain. With the loss of sensation in the toes, it may be difficult to tie shoes and pick up objects. Some people may even have difficulty distinguishing between hot and cold.
A herniated disc can generate different symptoms, depending on the segment of the spine that is affected. If it occurs in the lumbar spine, it generally causes symptoms in the legs, and if it occurs in the neck region (cervical spine) it can cause pain in the neck, radiating pain in the arms, pain in the shoulders and numbness or tingling in the arms or hands. Thus, a herniated disc may compromise the function of the peripheral nervous system, leading to sciatica or cervicobrachialgia. Cervicobrachialgia is a condition of pain in the cervical region that is distributed throughout the upper limbs, caused by nerve compression in the cervical region.
In general, a herniated disc causes symptoms for 4 to 6 weeks and if it does not lead to radicular compression (compression of the nerves leaving the spine), it will not have major consequences for the patient.
What are the causes?
There are several causes for the increase in structures that pass through the Carpal Tunnel. Some of the causes that can trigger the disease are: manual work with repeated movements, people who do not do manual work, it is associated with hormonal changes such as menopause and pregnancy (generally disappears at the end of pregnancy); a fact that explains why there are more women affected than men. Other associated diseases are diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease and unknown causes.
Treatment
Here at the Spine Institute, we have developed, through 20 years of clinical experience, a multimodal protocol combining different resources and very special clinical management to achieve the best results for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, book an appointment with us!