A local neurologist sets the record straight on
some common misconceptions about this condition
It's easy to take our hands, fingers and wrists for granted. But
they are hard to ignore when the tingling, burning pain of carpal
tunnel syndrome sets in.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association,
about 3 percent of adults in the United States will experience
carpal tunnel syndrome. Women are three times as likely as men to
get it, according to the National Institutes of Health, with peak
prevalence occurring at age 55.
But as widespread as it is, it's also often
misunderstood. Dr. Danny Park, a neurologist at
Swedish Covenant Hospital, shared with us some of the common myths
and facts surrounding carpal tunnel syndrome:
1. Myth: Carpal tunnel syndrome only affects the
wrist and hand.
Fact: Severe carpal tunnel pain can radiate from points as high
as the neck, down into the shoulder and arm and into the whole
hand. It can be difficult to localize where the tingling is coming
from.
The syndrome is the result of pressure and injury to the median
nerve, which runs from the forearm through the wrist and hand. It's
a fibrous tissue, and with repeated trauma, it can become even more
thick and fibrous, which leads to inflammation and damage.
2. Myth: Carpal tunnel is caused by computer
keyboards and piano keyboards.
Fact: Carpal tunnel comes from any number of repetitive motions
that place constant pressure on the wrist, including bicycle
riding, motorcycle riding, tennis and golf. Many times, there are
no predisposing factors; it simply develops over time as any one
motion is repeated.
3. Myth: You can only feel carpal tunnel while
using your wrists and hands.
Fact: Carpal tunnel patients often wake up in the middle of the
night with hand numbness because of compression of the nerve. They
can bring back feeling to the hand by running it under warm water
and elevating and extending the wrist.
4. Myth: The damage is permanent.
Fact: If caught early enough and the proper methods are taken,
the damage can be reversible to a point. In time, however, carpal
tunnel can do some serious, permanent damage to the hand, fingers
and thumbs.
5. Myth: Surgery is the only option.
Fact: Actually there are conservative steps that can be taken
that don't involve surgery. One step is a wrist brace. This works
by extending the wrist so it's not straight forward, but rather
extended upward or downward. That tends to relieve some of the
carpal tunnel pressure. Because the brace can be bulky, patients
usually wear them at night, when they have more of a tendency to
flex the wrist.
Park said it's important to make an appointment with your doctor
if you suspect you might have carpal tunnel syndrome. Your
physician can help you lessen and possibly even reverse the
damage.
Kate Silver
WellCommunityChicago.org