There are many treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome, and the approach that is taken depends upon how severely a person is affected with the condition. There are many different levels of severity when it comes to CTS, and the condition typically begins with mild tingly or numb sensations in the fingers. The severe form of the condition eventually results in an inability to use the hands without feeling pain.
If carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnose and treated in the earliest stages, the first line of treatment is a night splint. The splint keeps the wrist from becoming either bent back too far or hung down too far, thereby relieving the pressure on the median nerve. The splint should enable the sufferer to get relief from the tingling and numbness that come on in the night as they sleep. It's also possible to wear the splint during the day if it's determined that one is needed. Some people find relief from CTS with the splint treatment.
But, if this approach doesn't provide total relief, pain medications like aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications may be used as well. On their own, these drugs don't usually cure carpal tunnel syndrome, though if the condition stems primarily from inflammation, they can help. However, because they mask certain symptoms, it can be difficult to tell whether the underlying problem is resolving. Not all cases of CTS are caused by inflammation, in which case the drugs will have no effect. They also do nothing to alleviate sensations of numbness or tingling in the fingers and hands. Plus, these medications can have side effects when taken over a lengthy period of time. As an example, aspirin may cause stomach ulcers and internal bleeding.
If these treatments prove to be ineffective, steroidal drugs are another option. For example, cortisone may be injected into the wrist just beneath the skin. In cases where carpal tunnel symptoms result from pregnancy, this is often a first choice for treatment. For some patients this treatment can provide relief from a majority of symptoms for up to six months, whereas others must seek more frequent injections to stave off the pain. The injections can't be given more frequently than 6 weeks apart. They work by reducing the swelling and inflammation of the membranes and tendons that surround the median nerve.
As an alternative to injections, some people try electrical iontophresis. This process uses electricity to guide the medicine molecules to the proper location for more effective symptom relief. While minimally invasive when compared with injections, this option is also less effective.
When all other approaches have failed to provide relief, CTR, or carpal tunnel release surgery, is a last resort. This procedure requires cutting the ligament that sits at the apex of the carpal tunnel, and may be performed with a traditional, open incision, or endoscopically. Endoscopic surgery involves the use of a tiny catheter or endoscope with a camera attached that allows the surgeon to see the surgical area on a television monitor. This minimizes the invasiveness of the procedure. For a traditional, open surgery, a major incision is made and the wrist opened up so the surgeon can directly visualize the area as the ligament is snipped.
Even though each of these treatments can be effective, there are important disadvantages to each of them. Not all approaches work for all people. Fortunately, there's an inexpensive and non-invasive way to go about getting relief from carpal tunnel symptoms. There are exercises that can be done that cost little or nothing and can yield permanent results. These exercises should be the first treatment option considered by those who are suffering from the condition.
If carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnose and treated in the earliest stages, the first line of treatment is a night splint. The splint keeps the wrist from becoming either bent back too far or hung down too far, thereby relieving the pressure on the median nerve. The splint should enable the sufferer to get relief from the tingling and numbness that come on in the night as they sleep. It's also possible to wear the splint during the day if it's determined that one is needed. Some people find relief from CTS with the splint treatment.
But, if this approach doesn't provide total relief, pain medications like aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications may be used as well. On their own, these drugs don't usually cure carpal tunnel syndrome, though if the condition stems primarily from inflammation, they can help. However, because they mask certain symptoms, it can be difficult to tell whether the underlying problem is resolving. Not all cases of CTS are caused by inflammation, in which case the drugs will have no effect. They also do nothing to alleviate sensations of numbness or tingling in the fingers and hands. Plus, these medications can have side effects when taken over a lengthy period of time. As an example, aspirin may cause stomach ulcers and internal bleeding.
If these treatments prove to be ineffective, steroidal drugs are another option. For example, cortisone may be injected into the wrist just beneath the skin. In cases where carpal tunnel symptoms result from pregnancy, this is often a first choice for treatment. For some patients this treatment can provide relief from a majority of symptoms for up to six months, whereas others must seek more frequent injections to stave off the pain. The injections can't be given more frequently than 6 weeks apart. They work by reducing the swelling and inflammation of the membranes and tendons that surround the median nerve.
As an alternative to injections, some people try electrical iontophresis. This process uses electricity to guide the medicine molecules to the proper location for more effective symptom relief. While minimally invasive when compared with injections, this option is also less effective.
When all other approaches have failed to provide relief, CTR, or carpal tunnel release surgery, is a last resort. This procedure requires cutting the ligament that sits at the apex of the carpal tunnel, and may be performed with a traditional, open incision, or endoscopically. Endoscopic surgery involves the use of a tiny catheter or endoscope with a camera attached that allows the surgeon to see the surgical area on a television monitor. This minimizes the invasiveness of the procedure. For a traditional, open surgery, a major incision is made and the wrist opened up so the surgeon can directly visualize the area as the ligament is snipped.
Even though each of these treatments can be effective, there are important disadvantages to each of them. Not all approaches work for all people. Fortunately, there's an inexpensive and non-invasive way to go about getting relief from carpal tunnel symptoms. There are exercises that can be done that cost little or nothing and can yield permanent results. These exercises should be the first treatment option considered by those who are suffering from the condition.
About the Author:
CTS can virtually always be treated, but that doesn't mean that the treatment is necessarily easy or desirable. Its effects can range from mildly irritating wrist, hand, and finger tingling that needs to be constantly shaken out to severe pain and partial debilitation of the hand. Treatment is discovered by Tom Nicholson, carpal tunnel exercises that are so simple to do they can be done by anyone.
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