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Jonathan Cluett, an
orthopedic doctor, said that there are two most common carpal tunnel
syndrome symptoms, which are tingling sensations and/or numbness of both
fingers and hands. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms usually start gradually,
with frequent burning or itching deadness in the palm of the hand and the
fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers.
Some of those who already have experienced this say their fingers feel
useless and swollen, even though little or no thickening is apparent. The
carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms often first appear in one or both hands
during the night, since many people sleep with flexed wrists. A person with
carpal tunnel syndrome may wake up feeling the need to "shake out" the hand
or wrist.
As it worsens, people might feel tingling during the day. Decreased grip
strength may make it difficult to form a fist, grasp small objects, or
perform other manual tasks. In chronic and untreated cases, the muscles at
the base of the thumb may waste away. Some people are even unable to tell a
temperature between hot and cold by touch.
What are the causes of these carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is often the result of a combination of factors that
increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel,
rather than a problem with the nerve itself. Most likely the disorder is due
to a congenital predisposition where the carpal tunnel is simply smaller in
some people than in others.
Other contributing factors include trauma or injury to the wrist that cause
swelling. They are as follows sprain or fracture; overactivity of the
pituitary gland; hypothyroidism; rheumatoid arthritis; mechanical problems
in the wrist joint; work stress; repeated use of vibrating hand tools; fluid
retention during pregnancy or menopause; or the development of a cyst or
tumor in that part of the body. There are even cases that it just cannot be
identified.
There is little clinical data to prove whether repetitive and forceful
movements of the hand and wrist during work or leisure activities can cause
carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Repeated motions performed in the course of
normal work or other daily activities can result in repetitive motion
disorders such as bursitis and tendonitis.
Writer's cramp is a condition in which a lack of fine motor skill
coordination, ache and pressure in the fingers, wrist or forearm is brought
on by repetitive activity. It is not one of the carpal tunnel syndrome
symptoms.
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