During his life, almost every person is faced with certain pathologies. Someone suffers from allergies, another complains of more serious chronic diseases.
Tunnel syndrome is one of the rather unpleasant ailments that fall under the category of nephropathy. This disease is characterized by prolonged pain and severe numbness of the fingers. Let us consider in more detail the features of this disease, methods of its treatment, symptoms and preventive measures.
Reasons for appearance
It should be said right away that today there is no clearly formulated list, which includes the main reasons for the development of this pathology. However, there are several factors that can cause compression of the nerves in the carpal tunnels. For example, stretching or swelling caused by injuries can lead to such an ailment.
In addition, carpal tunnel syndrome can occur in those people who perform the same physical manipulations daily. For example, those who constantly work in the office, on the computer or for builders. A similar ailment can also be caused by a special state of the body in the event of a failure in metabolic processes or with deformation changes in the tissues of the channels ortendons.
Often hand tunnel syndrome occurs in pregnant women, people with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other pathologies. If tumors have formed on the nerves that penetrate the canal, then this can also lead to a similar ailment.
In addition, some experts point out that prolonged smoking can disrupt blood circulation in a person, which is also the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. And some suggest that this disease can develop even against the background of obesity. Regardless of the reasons, it is worth paying attention to the disease in a timely manner and starting treatment.
Tunnel syndrome: symptoms of the initial stage
First of all, unpleasant symptoms begin to appear only during work, that is, when the hands are maximally loaded. In this case, numbness of the fingers occurs. Also, some patients complain that at night during sleep they experience problems with 3, 2, 1 and half 4 fingers. In this case, not only unpleasant pain sensations are observed, but also tingling, as well as the appearance of goosebumps. Also, many people note that their hands are very weak.
Subsequent symptoms
If timely treatment is not started at the initial stages, then in this case the lesions go to the muscles. Their functioning is carried out due to the median nerve. When a pathology occurs, experts note weakness, atrophy and other movement disorders. And in some situations, the disease can spread to other parts.hands, for example, on the forearm, shoulder and beyond. In this case, the cubital tunnel syndrome will have to be treated.
Diagnosis
In order to correctly diagnose the disease, specialists conduct several different tests. First of all, they tap on the wrists at a certain point and try to detect tingling or painful shootings.
The doctor also asks the patient to squeeze their wrists and talk in detail about their feelings. If there is tingling or pain, then this may be the first sign of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
You can also check for the presence of the disease by raising your hands. If the pressure in the carpal tunnels continues to increase and the unpleasant symptoms increase, then there is a small chance that the patient really suffers from this syndrome.
Differential Diagnosis
Very often this pathology appears on the background of other diseases. At risk are those people who suffer from diabetic polyneuropathy, arthritis and cervical sciatica. Also in medical practice there is such a thing as alcoholic epilepsy. This pathology can also cause the development of subsequent carpal tunnel syndrome.
Treatment options
After consultation, the doctor may prescribe an independent course of therapy for the patient. However, only those whose illness is still at an early stage can count on such an outcome. In this case, as a rule, specialwarming ointments, in some situations - bandages for the wrists. Thanks to these things, it becomes possible to relieve pain, especially when a person is at rest.
In addition, experts recommend that the patient think about changing working conditions, since, most likely, it is a certain type of activity that causes carpal tunnel syndrome.
Also, the doctor can prescribe medication using the simplest anti-inflammatory drugs that have a positive effect on the body, relieve pain and eliminate discomfort. In some situations, steroid injections are prescribed, but they are used only as a temporary solution, with an aggravation of the disease.
It will also be helpful to talk to a physical therapist. This doctor will help you choose the right course of exercises, advise on how to properly sit or position yourself at the workplace during the day.
If the patient has more pronounced symptoms of carpal tunnel, treatment may require surgery. This cardinal method of therapy is prescribed only in the situation when the patient is practically unable to move the hand. An open surgery is performed, during which a small incision is made on the transverse carpal ligament.
It is also worth noting that there are a number of practical procedures that can alleviate the patient's condition. For example, experts advise applying cold to a sore spot. At the initial degreethe development of tunnel syndrome helps to reduce daily stress. In some situations, other treatment may be prescribed using a variety of medications. It all depends on the specific situation, the age of the patient and the individual characteristics of his body.
Alternative treatments for carpal tunnel
As a rule, this disease develops for quite a long time, so patients have time to seek help even before the disease has passed into the chronic stage. In this case, some private practitioners offer simple hand exercises, massages and mobilization techniques. However, other doctors agree that these methods are not as effective as drug treatment.
Drugs
Thanks to specialized tools, you can significantly reduce pain and get rid of swelling. Under the influence of drugs, the compressed channel takes on the usual dimensions, due to which negative symptoms are eliminated. In this case, we are talking about drugs that stop inflammation. Accordingly, in this case, the doctor prescribes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Additionally, you can use topical ointments and gels, which will quickly reduce swelling and anesthetize the most problematic areas. If we talk about the best means, then, as a rule, experts recommend "Nise", "Diclofenac", "Indomethacin" or "Movalis". Also a positive effectobserved after using Ibuprofen, Naprofen and acetylsalicylic acid.
However, before treating carpal tunnel syndrome, it is imperative to consult a doctor. All of these drugs have certain contraindications. You should also be careful when using anti-inflammatory drugs. Often they negatively affect the work of the intestines and other internal organs. Also in this situation, hormonal agents are prescribed that allow you to get rid of the pain syndrome. It is also not recommended to use them without a doctor's prescription. If the patient accidentally starts taking the wrong hormones, then in this case he risks provoking a malfunction in the body. This is fraught with a hormonal imbalance and other ensuing and not the most pleasant consequences.
If the carpal tunnel syndrome has not reached the chronic stage, then in this case you can use folk remedies. There are several useful recipes that will help get rid of an unpleasant ailment. However, before embarking on self-treatment, it is worth asking the doctor's opinion about the selected herbs or recipes.
To date, the most effective and harmless are several options for home treatment.
Contrast baths
In this case, it is recommended to prepare a special composition of chamomile decoction or sage infusion. All these components have a positive and soothing effect on the condition of the hands. In addition, natural substances reduce swelling and soothe inflamedarea.
To prepare a therapeutic bath, pour one tablespoon of the dry mixture with a liter of boiling water and leave for an hour. After that, you need to strain the liquid and dip your hands into it. The duration of the procedure should be no more than 15 minutes.
You can also prepare a bath with sea s alt. To do this, the component must be mixed with two liters of warm water. In this case, 2 tablespoons of s alt is sufficient.
Compress with horseradish leaves
In order to reduce soreness, it is necessary to wash the prepared foliage. After that, horseradish sheets are put into boiling water for 60 seconds (no more). At the next stage, it is enough to shake the liquid from the foliage and wrap the affected areas of the hands with it. Horseradish must be left in this position for 45 minutes. After the procedure, it is advisable to use a nourishing cream. This is due to the fact that horseradish dries the skin quite strongly.
Diuretic tea
The disease is caused by excessive pressure, so this symptom must be removed. Teas and herbal decoctions, which contribute to the rapid removal of excess fluid from the body, do an excellent job with this task. Dill, lingonberries and parsley are best suited. Corn stigmas and wild strawberries also have similar properties.
Prevention
It is worth noting that today most people use a computer. Based on this, the most convenient preventive methods will be those that are aimed at the correct location of theperson and the organization of the workplace, where he spends the most time. Proper placement of things can help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
It is necessary to properly adjust the height of the chair and desktop. These parameters depend on the height and weight of the person. It is also advisable to purchase a chair for work, which will be equipped with armrests. Additionally, you can install a homemade or ready-made wrist rest.
In addition, within an hour, you need to give your hands a few minutes to rest. It is also worth doing some gymnastic exercises, they can be done directly while sitting at the computer. Experts recommend the following:
- Close your hands into fists with force and unclench your palms with the same force as quickly as possible.
- Rotate each finger in turn clockwise and then counter-clockwise.
- Close your hands into fists forcefully and make circular motions with your wrists.
- Squeeze the palms of your hands firmly in the chest area and slowly spread them apart.
In closing
It is necessary to take care of your he alth and in case of such unpleasant symptoms, contact a specialist as soon as possible. Any problems with the movement of the limbs can develop into more serious chronic pathologies.
It is better to prevent this and start treatment early. Also, do not assume that carpal tunnel syndrome can developexclusively in the elderly. Today, this disease is also found with an enviable frequency in representatives of the younger generation. Therefore, it is better not to bring the situation to a critical point and seek help from experienced specialists in a timely manner.
