carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms, treatment, prevention. Carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome (tunnel syndrome). Causes, symptoms, signs, diagnosis and treatment of pathology

The term "tunnel syndrome" (compression-ischemic neuropathy) combines a group of peripheral nerve diseases that are not associated with infection and vertebrogenic factors. This pathology is not as rare as it is rarely diagnosed. Tunnel syndromes are poorly understood, poorly recognized and detected. Often they are mistakenly interpreted as vascular diseases and so on. That is why the issues related to these diseases are relevant in our time. Consider the main types of tunnel syndromes of the nerve trunks of the extremities.

Causes

Tunnel syndrome can be caused by a narrowing of the bone or muscle channels through which nerve fibers pass. This condition may develop:

in diseases of the connective tissue due to its excessive growth;
due to dishormonal age-related restructuring of the connective tissue (with);
with metabolic disorders in the body (, myxedema);
as a result of soft tissue edema in case of injury;
due to thickening of the nerve (amyloidosis, leprosy);
with prolonged monotonous overstrain of muscles and ligaments.

Sometimes bone canals have congenital narrowing.

Certain types of labor activity can lead to compression of peripheral nerves. This disease is more common in miners, wrappers, masons, athletes, agricultural workers, drivers, dentists, etc.

If compression-ischemic neuropathy (CIN) is caused by common factors, then nerve damage is usually bilateral. If the cause is occupational hazards, then in right-handed people this syndrome develops on the right, and in left-handed people it develops on the left.

carpal tunnel syndrome

The carpal tunnel is a narrow channel formed by the bones of the wrist and the transverse ligament, in which the median nerve passes along with the vessels and tendons of the flexors of the fingers. With a narrowing of this channel or an increase in the volume of its contents (tendovaginitis, collagenoses), compression of the fibers of the median nerve and the arteries that feed it occurs.

Clinically, this syndrome is manifested by pain and paresthesia in the area of I, II, III fingers. These symptoms usually appear at night or early in the morning. Decreased sensitivity to the hand in the zone of nerve innervation, hypotrophy of thenar muscles are characteristic. Often there are trophic disorders of the type.

For differential diagnosis, the following tests are performed. The patient is offered to clench his fist, scratch the second finger on the table, cover the bottle, start the watch, fasten the buttons. If the median nerve is damaged, these actions cannot be performed. It is difficult to oppose the first finger of the brush. The test with arms raised up, forced flexion of the wrist at the wrist joint, dorsiextension of the hand and fingers are used. With a delay in one of the positions for a minute, symptoms of ischemia appear. A test is applied with squeezing the shoulder with a tonometer cuff until the pulse on the radial artery disappears, which also leads to ischemia.

round pronator syndrome

This pathology occurs as a result of compression of the median nerve on the forearm in the muscular-fascial tunnel formed by two muscle bundles - the pronator of the forearm (pronation - turning inward). Musicians are more likely to suffer from this syndrome. Patients are concerned about pain in the upper third of the forearm, wrist, first three fingers. When squeezing the specified muscle with the hands, the pain intensifies. A diagnostic test is the introduction of novocaine, hydrocortisone into the pain point.

Ulnar carpal tunnel syndrome

This is a disease that occurs due to compression of the ulnar nerve and blood vessels in the bone canal located at the level of the first row of carpal bones. Patients are concerned about paresthesia and pain in the wrist, extending to the fourth and fifth fingers of the hand. Pain increases with movement or at night, decreases after local administration of hydrocortisone. For diagnostic purposes, provocation of symptoms by tapping in the canal area is used.

Cubital Canal Syndrome

In some cases, the ulnar nerve can be compressed above the wrist at the level of the elbow joint, causing pain along the inner surface of the forearm and hand. In this area, the nerve is subject to various kinds of damage. It is subjected to compression during prolonged work at the table, resting on the elbows, pressing the hand against hard objects. The cause of this syndrome can also be stenosis of the cubital canal due to arthritis, tumor growth. It is characteristic that in the zone of innervation (the inner surface of the forearm and hand, the fourth and fifth fingers), sensitivity decreases and muscles atrophy. With pronounced changes, the hand takes on the appearance of a clawed paw.

spiral channel syndrome

The radial nerve on the shoulder passes in the groove of the same name and, under certain circumstances, can be pressed down in this area and injured. This is possible during a long sleep on a hard bed (after physical overstrain, in a state of alcoholic or drug intoxication), with a fracture of the humerus. Symptoms are characterized by a decrease in sensitivity along the back of the shoulder, difficulty in flexing the elbow joint, paralysis of the supinator of the forearm (supination - turning outward), as well as paralysis of the extensor muscle of the hand and forearm.

Arch support syndrome

This is a pathology caused by compression of the radial nerve between the bundles of the supinator muscle of the forearm. It is clinically manifested by pain in the area of the elbow joint and the back surface of the arm below the elbow. Sensitivity is not affected. It is necessary to differentiate this pathology with arthritis and arthrosis of the elbow joint. In contrast to these diseases, with compression of the radial nerve, some movements, namely, extension of the forearm, together with abduction of the hand and extension of the fingers, sharply increase the pain.

Roth disease

The external cutaneous nerve of the thigh can be damaged at the point of its exit to the thigh (at the level of the anterior superior iliac spine). This may be the result of trauma with a tight belt, pressing on the edge of the table, etc. Often this pathology occurs during pregnancy or obesity. The disease is manifested by persistent pain and paresthesia on the outer surface of the thigh. The condition worsens when walking, standing.

tarsal tunnel syndrome

In the tarsal canal, located on the inner surface of the ankle joint, the tibial nerve passes with vessels and tendons. When squeezing the tibial nerve in this canal, patients develop pain and impaired sensitivity in the area of the plantar side of the foot and fingers, which can spread upward to the lower leg. The pain is aggravated by pressure or tapping in the ankle joint.

CIN of the common peroneal nerve

It occurs as a result of compression of the peroneal nerve at the level of the head of the fibula (the upper outer part of the lower leg) when working with support on a bent knee, prolonged squatting or throwing a leg over the leg. It can also occur during deep sleep after anesthesia. The nerve can be pressed down by a tumor tightly applied with a plaster cast. Patients develop hypesthesia (decrease in sensitivity) and pain along the lateral surface of the lower leg and foot.

Therapeutic measures

Eliminate the cause of compression (if necessary, surgically).
Limb immobilization.
Physiotherapy procedures.
Anti-inflammatory and painkillers (nimesulide, diclofenac, meloxicam, ibuprofen).
Diuretics (furosemide).
The introduction of corticosteroids (hydrocortisone) and anesthetics (novocaine) into the place of compression.
B group vitamins.

Treatment with physical factors

Therapeutic massage improves microcirculation and tissue nutrition in the affected area.

It is prescribed to reduce the symptoms of the disease, accelerate recovery processes and recovery in general.

Tunnel syndrome (tunnel neuropathy) is a complex of symptoms that occur as a result of compression of peripheral nerves in narrow anatomical spaces - tunnels. More than thirty variants of tunnel neuropathy have been described in the medical literature. There are tunnel syndromes with lesions of the upper, lower extremities, neck, torso. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common, which is why it is often referred to as carpal tunnel syndrome. In the structure of tunnel neuropathies, carpal tunnel syndrome accounts for 50% of all cases.

Table of contents:

The carpal tunnel is located at the base of the hand. It is formed by the carpal bones and the transverse ligament. Inside the canal are the median nerve, tendons of the flexors of the fingers and hand, as well as their synovial membranes.

The composition of the median nerve includes sensory and nerve fibers. Sensory fibers are responsible for the sensory innervation of the skin of the palmar surface of the first three and half of the fourth fingers, as well as the back surface of the nail phalanges of the same fingers. Motor fibers provide movement of the fingers.

Normally, the median nerve passes freely in the canal. But with microtraumatization of the ligaments that occur in people of certain professions, thickening and swelling of the transverse ligament develop, which leads to compression of the nerve. As a result of chronic inflammation of the connective tissue, which is caused by a constant load of the same type, the ligament thickens and swells, which leads to an increase in pressure inside the canal. Increased pressure leads to venous stasis and, as a consequence, a violation of the blood supply to the nerve.

First of all, the sensory fibers of the nerve suffer, and only then the motor ones. In addition, the fibers of the autonomic nervous system can be damaged.

Causes leading to the development of carpal syndrome:

The peak incidence falls on 40-60 years. It is noteworthy that women get sick more often than men. This is probably due to the fact that the carpal canal is narrower in women.

In about half of all cases, both hands are affected. But it is worth noting that the signs of the disease primarily occur on the "working" hand (for right-handers on the right, left-handers on the left).

Carpal tunnel syndrome develops gradually. The first sign of the disease is the appearance of a feeling of pain and numbness in the first three fingers of the hand that occur at night. These unpleasant symptoms prevent a person from sleeping normally. When a person wakes up, he is forced to put his hand down, shake off his brush. Then the pain goes away, but returns in the morning. Pain is felt throughout the finger from its base to the final phalanx.

When the disease begins to progress, pain begins to bother a person even during the day, which greatly affects his activity. It is noteworthy that any movement in the wrist increases pain.

Another characteristic symptom is numbness of the first three fingers in the morning. But then a person begins to feel numbness at night and daytime. Unpleasant symptoms in the fingers are aggravated by holding the hand on weight for a long time, for example, while talking on the phone or driving a car.

With the progression of the disease, muscle weakness occurs in the area of \u200b\u200bthe brush. So, it is difficult for a person to hold small objects in his hand, they slip out of his hands. In the later stages, atrophy of the muscles of the hand develops, contractures in the form of the so-called "monkey's paw".

With strong or prolonged compression of the median nerve, a decrease in sensitivity develops. The patient may not feel touch or even painful irritation in the area of the first three fingers.

With compression of the vessels inside the canal, blanching of the skin of the hand, a decrease in local temperature and swelling are possible.

Sometimes carpal tunnel syndrome can be accompanied by pain not only in the hand, but also in the forearm, elbow. This confuses the doctor and may lead to the thought of another pathology, such as osteochondrosis. Therefore, special methods are used for differential diagnosis.

For example, there is a simple raised hands test. The patient raises the straightened arms above the head and holds for a minute. In the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, numbness and tingling, sometimes even pain, occur in the first three fingers.

To perform the Phalen test, the patient is asked to bend the hand and hold it there for a minute. In the presence of carpal tunnel syndrome, tingling and pain increase in the first three fingers.

A cuff test is also sometimes performed. The doctor puts a cuff on the patient's arm to measure blood pressure. Then pressurizes the cuff over 120 mm Hg, which is held for a minute. With carpal tunnel syndrome, tingling occurs in the fingers innervated by the median nerve.

But the most reliable diagnostic method is still the Tinel test. The doctor taps with a finger or hammer over the median nerve. In the presence of carpal tunnel syndrome, tingling occurs in the fingers.

A useful diagnostic test is the administration of corticosteroids with lidocaine into the carpal tunnel. If after this the pain and tingling in the fingers decrease, then the pathological process is located in the carpal tunnel.

The leading instrumental method for determining carpal tunnel syndrome is electroneuromyography. With the help of this study, it is possible to measure the electrical activity of skeletal muscles, as well as the speed of the nerve impulse. At rest, the electrical activity of the muscles is minimal, and with muscle contraction it increases. But in the presence of carpal tunnel syndrome, during muscle contraction, electrical activity is low, because the transmission of a nerve impulse along the damaged median nerve slows down.

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome is primarily aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease, as well as eliminating pain, improving local blood circulation, nutrition and tissue innervation, and restoring hand function.

Conservative treatment will be most effective in patients with symptoms observed for no more than a year. It includes wearing a support splint, as well as the appointment of such medicines:

An effective method of treatment is the introduction of corticosteroids into the carpal tunnel. After the first such procedure, the patient feels significant relief.

Criteria to predict the low effectiveness of conservative treatment:

The patient's age is more than fifty years;
Symptoms of the disease are observed for ten or more months;
Constant tingling in fingers;
The presence of stenosing tendon tenosynovitis;
Positive Pheleng test in less than thirty seconds.

Thus, in 66% of patients without a single criterion, a good result can be achieved with conservative treatment, in 40% with one criterion, in 16.7% with two and 6.8% with three or more criteria.

With the progression of the disease and in the absence of a result from conservative therapy, surgical treatment is resorted to. The operation should be carried out before the onset of irreversible damage to the median nerve. Under the condition of a timely operation, it is possible to achieve a good result in 90% of patients. The goal of surgery is to reduce pressure on the median nerve by expanding the intracanal lumen. Operations can be performed endoscopically or openly.

After the operation, a plaster bandage is applied to the hand for several days. During the recovery period, the patient is shown to perform therapeutic exercises with a fixed wrist and physiotherapy procedures. If the disease is caused by the characteristics of the profession, you should change the type of activity for the recovery period. After three months, the functions of the hand are restored by approximately 70-80%, and after six months completely.

After a full recovery, a person can return to their kind of activity. But if at the same time unfavorable working conditions are not eliminated, a relapse cannot be avoided.

The incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome has increased significantly in recent years. Doctors attribute this fact to the fact that computers have appeared in human life. People at the computer work and spend their leisure time. With improper organization of the workplace, uncomfortable position of the hand during the use of equipment, prerequisites for the development of carpal tunnel syndrome are created.

To prevent the occurrence of the disease, the following recommendations should be followed:

Set up your workspace properly. The table should not be too high. While working at the computer, the arm should not sag, but lie comfortably on the table or armrest of the chair. The brush should be straight.
Pick the right keyboard and mouse. The mouse should fit comfortably in your palm. So the brush will be more relaxed. A special joystick mouse has even been created for people with carpal tunnel syndrome. No less useful may be special mouse pads, equipped with a roller at the wrist level. This will ensure the correct position of the brush. In addition, pay attention to the keyboard, located at an angle.
Take breaks every thirty to forty minutes.
Do hand exercises: shaking the hands, rotating movements in the wrists, clenching the fingers into a fist and unclenching.

Grigorova Valeria, medical commentator

Tunnel syndrome belongs to the group of compression-ischemic neuropathies - diseases of peripheral nerves not associated with infectious and vertebrogenic factors. A pinched median nerve in the carpal tunnel is the result of thickening of the nerve fibers or thickening of the surrounding tendons. The causes of the pathology can be mechanical trauma, inflammation of the joints, tumors, endocrinopathy. During compression of the nerve tissue, the blood supply to the nerve is disrupted. Similar changes are observed with regular overstrain of the same wrist muscles.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is an occupational disease of persons who perform the same type of hand movements in the course of work. This pathology affects grocery store cashiers, computer users, artists, hairdressers, violinists, miners, wrappers, guitarists. In women, the disease occurs much more often than in men, which is associated with a relatively small volume of the carpal tunnel. The first clinical signs of the disease occur at the age of 30-45, and its peak occurs at 50-60 years. Tunnel syndrome of the hand is a chronic disease with frequent changes of exacerbation and remission, manifested by pain, paresthesia, and motor dysfunction. These clinical signs have varying degrees of severity.

The cubital tunnel syndrome belongs to the same group of neuropathies. Injuries to the elbow joint lead to inflammation and damage to the tendon arch. It thickens, the channels narrow. The development of tunnel syndrome of the ulnar nerve is most susceptible to persons who experience constant compression of the ulnar nerve.

the second most common is cubital tunnel syndrome

There are two types of compression-ischemic neuropathy of the hand:

Primary - an independent pathology, independent of other processes occurring in the body. Primary neuropathy is usually caused by overexertion of the wrist muscles, as well as prolonged and excessive stress on the joint.
Secondary - a symptom or complication of any disease of the body. Systemic connective tissue diseases, arthrosis, arthritis are manifested by carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome was discovered by English surgeon Paget in 1854. He was the first to describe the clinical signs of the disease and the mechanism of its development. Currently, pathology is diagnosed extremely rarely. Its pathogenesis and etiology are poorly understood, so carpal tunnel syndrome is poorly recognized and detected. If this problem is left unattended, negative consequences can develop.

The reasons

Tunnel syndrome develops when the size of the carpal tunnel decreases or the volume of tissues inside it increases. The main importance in the development of compression-ischemic neuropathy is given to injuries at home, at work or during sports.

Reasons for such processes:

sprains, dislocations and fractures of the wrist,
pregnancy and associated soft tissue swelling,
long-term use of oral contraceptives,
lactation period,
diabetes,
thyroid dysfunction or its removal,
obesity,
water imbalance,
hormonal imbalance,
acromegaly,
kidney failure,
drastic weight loss
amyloidosis,
rheumatoid arthritis,
gout,
hematological diseases,
tumors that deform the wrist,
hereditary predisposition.

In rare cases, neuropathy develops as a result of acute infectious diseases: typhus or typhoid fever, tuberculosis, syphilis, brucellosis, herpes. Tunnel syndrome can be caused by vascular pathology. Spasm or thrombosis of a blood vessel leads to ischemia of the tissues that supply it with blood, swelling and compression of the nerve in the canal.

Factors contributing to the progression of pathology:

intense sports,
multiple repetitive activities
hypothermia,
fever,
long vibration,
bad habits.

The channel, consisting of hard tissues, reliably protects the median nerve from exogenous factors. Constant loads on the same area lead to its permanent deformation. In this case, nerve fibers suffer, the trophism of soft tissues is disturbed. The tissues of the tunnel thicken, loosen and swell, there is no free space left in the canal, the pressure on the nerve becomes maximum. At this time, the first clinical signs of the syndrome appear. The body tries to get rid of the disease on its own. Lymph accumulates in the joints of the hand and washes away the inflamed cells. A significant load on the hands leads to stagnation of the lymph and increased inflammation. The joints begin to ache and swell.

Another cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is swelling of nerve fibers due to general intoxication of the body with toxic substances. Some drugs used for a long time and in high doses can cause the development of pathology. These include antibiotics, diuretics, vasodilators.

persons who, by the nature of their work, make the same type of brush movements;
elderly people;
patients with endocrinopathies - dysfunction of the thyroid gland, pancreas or pituitary gland;
patients with diseases of bones and joints;
people with incurable diseases - vasculitis, rheumatism, psoriasis and gout.

Pathology that has developed against the background of a systemic disease leads to a loss of elasticity of the articular cartilage, their aging, and cracking. Over time, the affected cartilage dies, and the articular surfaces grow together. Such deformations violate the fully anatomical structure of the hand.

Symptoms

The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome increase as the nerve trunk is compressed.

Clinical signs of the initial stage are discomfort and discomfort in the hand that occurs after a long load on this part of the body. Patients complain of trembling, itching and slight tingling in the limbs. At the initial stage, the symptoms are temporary. When shaking hands or changing the position of the hands, the discomfort disappears.
The narrowing of the canal is manifested by acute pain in the hand, aggravated after exertion. The patient's upper limb becomes numb. Any movement of the wrist in the carpal joint causes unbearable pain. Numbness, tingling and heaviness in the hands become unpleasant and annoying. Pain and paresthesia are localized in the area of the first three fingers of the hand. They occur at night or early in the morning. Numbness and decreased sensitivity of the limb deprives it of mobility.
A significant narrowing of the tunnel is manifested by stiffness of the affected joint, hypotension and hypotrophy of muscle fibers. At the same time, pain and numbness persist and intensify. Patients have common symptoms: insomnia, irritability, depression. Convulsions and constant pain are unsettling. A person can no longer lift a heavy object, dial a number on a cell phone, use a mouse on a computer, or drive a car. Fine motor skills are impaired, skin color changes. Patients have weakness in flexion of the hand, weakness in flexion of the first and second fingers, especially the terminal phalanges. The sensitivity of the palmar surface of the first and second fingers is significantly reduced.

Pain syndrome is the main clinical sign of pathology. Patients complain of burning or tingling in the hands that occur at night and disturb sleep. Patients wake up to shake their hands. Blood flow to the fingers reduces pain. In advanced cases, pain appears not only at night. It torments patients around the clock, which affects their neuropsychic state and leads to impaired performance. Pain is often accompanied by a violation of vegetative and trophic, which is clinically manifested by edema, hyperthermia and hyperemia of the wrist, palm and first three fingers.

Carpal tunnel syndrome does not pose a threat to life, but it violates its quality. The intensity and duration of pain increases, insomnia and irritability occur, diseases of the nervous system develop.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis and treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome are carried out by neurologists, as well as doctors of related specialties - orthopedic traumatologists, endocrinologists, and surgeons. Diagnosis of tunnel syndrome consists in examining the patient and excluding other diseases with similar symptoms.

Taking an anamnesis of the disease - the appearance and increase of clinical symptoms. The patient is asked in detail about the causes that caused the disease, past injuries, the nature of pain, the movements that provoke them.
Inspection - assessment of the sensitivity of the fingers and the strength of the muscles of the hand using a carpal dynamometer.
There are several functional tests that can detect damage to the nerve trunk. These include Tinnel's symptom, cuffs, raised arms. These diagnostic procedures are performed in different ways, but they mean the same thing. If the patient feels numbness and tingling after the test, then carpal tunnel syndrome occurs.
Electroneuromyography allows you to accurately determine the location and degree of damage to nerve fibers, the level of damage to the nerve roots that form the carpal joint. Electrodes are inserted into the relaxed muscle of the diseased limb and its contractile activity is measured. The data of the study appear on the monitor in the form of a curve of different amplitudes. With compression of the median nerve, the speed of conduction slows down.
MRI, radiography and ultrasound are auxiliary techniques that detect congenital anomalies of the hand, fractures and dislocations in injuries and allow assessing changes in the tissues of the musculoskeletal system.

Treatment

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome is aimed at preventing even greater infringement of the median nerve. Patients are given anti-inflammatory and decongestant therapy, which relieves pain and discomfort. Treatment of the underlying disease, manifested by tunnel syndrome, is a prerequisite, failure to comply with which can lead to frequent relapses and the development of complications.

When the first signs of pathology appear, it is necessary to fix the wrist. Patients are advised to apply cold to the lesion. If the cause of the pathology was labor activity, it must be changed.

Medical treatment

To eliminate the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, specialists prescribe:

NSAIDs - Ibuklin, Diclofenac, Nimesil,
corticosteroid hormones - "Betamethasone", "Prednisolone", "Diprospan",
diuretics - "Furosemide", "Lasix", "Hypothiazid",
vasodilators - "Cavinton", "Piracetam", "Vinpocetine",
muscle relaxants - Sirdalud, Mydocalm,
neurometabolites - B vitamins, "Neostigmine", "Nicotinic acid",
the introduction of the anesthetic "Novocaine" into the place of compression,
warming ointments and a fixing bandage on the wrist to relieve symptoms at night,
a compress of "Dimexide", "Lidocaine", "Hydrocortisone" and water,
"Methotrexate" and other cytostatics are prescribed to suppress the activity of the immune system,
chondroprotectors for joint restoration - "Rumalon", "Alflutop",
thyroid hormones for hypothyroidism,
diabetics are prescribed insulin or hypoglycemic drugs,
for hypertension, ACE inhibitors or calcium antagonists are prescribed.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy procedures for carpal tunnel syndrome:

electrophoresis,
ultraphonophoresis,
shock wave therapy,
reflexology,
transcranial electroanalgesia;
UHF therapy,
magnetotherapy,
laser treatment,
ozokerite,
mud treatment,
neuroelectrostimulation,
physiotherapy.

Surgery

Surgical intervention consists in excising the ligament that compresses the median nerve.

Endoscopic surgery is less traumatic and does not leave scars. Through a small size, a video camera and a special device that cuts the ligaments are inserted into the median canal. After surgery, a plaster splint is placed on the wrist.

An open intervention consists in making a large incision in the palm along the line of passage of the median canal. The ligament is cut to relieve pressure on the median nerve. The recovery period after open surgery is much longer.

Patients are encouraged to move their fingers the day after surgery. After 1.5 months, physiotherapy and occupational therapy are prescribed. In the rehabilitation period, massage and gymnastics are shown. Patients should rotate their hands, knead their palms and fingers. If necessary, you can take a pain reliever.

Video: operation for tunnel syndrome

Exercises used for exacerbation of carpal tunnel syndrome:

Clenching fingers into a fist.
Rotation of fists to the sides.
Compression of the palms, breeding of the elbows.
The pressure of one hand on the other.
Squeezing a rubber ball.

Video: exercises for the prevention of tunnel syndrome

After normalization of the general condition of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, they are shown sanatorium treatment in the Crimea, Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories.

ethnoscience

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome at home includes not only medical general and local therapy, but also the use of traditional medicine. The most effective and common folk recipes:

Prevention

The following rules will help prevent the development of carpal tunnel syndrome:

taking care of your health,
maintaining a healthy lifestyle,
sufficient physical activity - gymnastics, swimming, walking, yoga,
comfortable sleeping and comfortable workplace,
periodic change in body position,
systematic thermal procedures - baths, saunas,
balanced diet,
prevention and timely treatment of various ailments,
contacting a doctor at the first signs of pathology.

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome is aimed at eliminating pain and discomfort, but most importantly, at eliminating the cause of the pathology. It is necessary to treat tunnel syndrome comprehensively in order to permanently get rid of the pathology and prevent relapses. This disease significantly reduces the quality of life of patients. But the prognosis of pathology is currently considered favorable. Diseases of the peripheral nervous system are so diverse that it is not always possible to determine their cause and make an accurate diagnosis. This should be done only by highly qualified specialists. In recent years, the number of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome has increased, due to the strong introduction of computer technology into the life of a modern person.

Video: tunnel syndrome experts

Often they can accompany a female pregnancy, and at the same time, these symptoms may not necessarily have any real pathological causes. Indeed, it is precisely in this difficult period for a woman that such an incredible load falls directly on the body of every pregnant woman that sometimes it is simply impossible to feel great at the same time. Almost all organs and their systems are now working in a sharply enhanced mode, constantly experiencing double the load. In addition, secreted hormones are constantly adding fuel to the fire, the level of which must be recognized is constantly changing, which, of course, can directly affect literally all the processes taking place in the body of the woman herself, and this, as you understand, cannot but affect her general well-being.

Pregnant women can indeed very often complain of severe migraines, sharp pains in various parts of the body, unreasonable fatigue, constant drowsiness, constipation, heartburn, or bloating, nausea, and constant swelling, ... in general, who cares what much And believe me, this list is far from complete; it could be continued with so many ailments of women. And it can also often happen that during the onset of pregnancy, a woman’s hands begin to go numb, someone has only fingers, someone has arms up to the elbow, and someone has completely upper limbs. But is it worth it to immediately worry about this, let's figure it out.

carpal tunnel during pregnancy

Immediately, we note that different pregnant women describe such sensations in completely different ways. Someone says that it tingles in their hands and even in their fingers, someone will say, it burns, or suffers, someone's hands become numb, swollen, and sometimes hurt. But practically such a definition as numbness is suitable for almost all such situations. And sometimes it seems to a woman that she just lay her hand down, say during sleep, but then you clearly understand: your hands can go numb even in an absolutely free position, and this often happens even during the day. By the way, most often and most pronounced this characteristic symptom can manifest itself precisely at night, as for the timing - then, as a rule, in the second or even third trimesters of pregnancy.

And, nevertheless, almost all modern gynecologists assure: the real reasons for serious unrest, when a woman’s hands go numb during pregnancy, can be extremely rare. After all, our doctors incredibly often hear precisely these complaints from their numerous wards, so they almost immediately reassure: after all, this really happens to many people. Doctors are convinced that, most likely, the cause of such numbness of the limbs can be the very so-called carpal tunnel syndrome. As a rule, such disorders are also called an occupational disease of computer specialists, since such a disorder usually develops due to a constant static load literally on the same joints, muscles and tendons, which today can most often occur during constant work with computer mouse.

As a rule, with such a tunnel syndrome, the nerve endings located directly in the carpal tunnel are seriously infringed, which is why a person can feel a sharp pain in the hands, numbness and even weakness in the palms. And it is quite clear that it is the working hand of a person that will suffer most often.

The appearance of increased swelling

Frequent and multiple, rare and local, appearing during pregnancy - this is not at all new and not at all uncommon, and neither for physicians nor for pregnant women themselves, but, unfortunately, such a phenomenon as puffiness cannot be called the norm either. In the event that you have already noticed that your hands or possibly legs swell in the evenings, then you will need to immediately contact your doctor for the necessary correction of this condition. Urgent correction of this condition is extremely important, since the slightest fluid retention in the female body during pregnancy carries with it a certain risk for the overall health of the baby, and your health as well.

And, of course, among other things, when swelling occurs, there may also be some sensations of numbness in both the upper and lower extremities. It is quite natural that with a timely reaction to the occurrence of a problem, it is quite possible to quickly eliminate it with the simplest salt-free diet. And remember that the total amount of fluid you consume during pregnancy does not in any way affect the possible formation of edema, as our grandmothers and mothers actually thought about it before.

Osteochondrosis and possible hand numbness during pregnancy

It should be noted that it cannot be ruled out at all that during pregnancy, the hands of women may become numb due to the occurrence or exacerbation of osteochondrosis or a disease such as osteoporosis. It is worth noting that today these diseases can affect more and more young women. And, for example, the period of bearing your baby is just the very time when absolutely all obvious and latent or chronic diseases can come out, and even especially those that have turned into chronic forms.

As well as other injuries of the spinal column (and in particular, it may be a herniated disc) may well be the real cause of such sensations as numbness of the hands during pregnancy. This, as a rule, can occur due to a sharp pinching of the nerve that goes directly from the spinal cord to the limbs. Moreover, the little fingers or ring fingers can become numb most often and much stronger than other parts of the body.

Also, the hands may well become numb with arthrosis that has arisen in the cervical spine or due to a simple and even banal overstrain of muscle fibers in this particular area. It is quite natural in such a situation that a woman should spend as little time as possible standing or even in a sitting position and do a special warm-up for the spine and massage the entire neck as often as possible.

Other causes of hand numbness during pregnancy

To date, there are a number of really possible diseases or pathological disorders, in which one of the accompanying and characteristic symptoms may well be just some numbness of the extremities. So, for example, hands can go numb even with such a disease as diabetes mellitus, with a sharp metabolic disorder, with poor blood circulation, with injuries, both old and new, or with infectious and inflammatory diseases in the cervical spine.

An aggravating factor may well be a rather sharp increase in body weight and the same sharp decrease in motor activity, which, unfortunately, occurs quite often during pregnancy.

It is quite possible that you simply do not have enough vitamins or minerals that are important for normal life, for example, the same magnesium, calcium, or possibly iron (doctors are convinced that hand numbness may well accompany a disease such as iron deficiency anemia).

It should also be noted that everything that has been described above is only possible or suspected diseases that may be accompanied by numbness of the hands. However, it must be said that the likelihood of any of the above diseases increases if specifically you have already encountered one of these problems before pregnancy. Then, of course, it will be necessary to check for the presence of the disease that bothered you earlier. If you never had such problems before pregnancy, then even during the period of bearing a baby, this symptom most likely will not pose any real threat to the woman and subsequently disappears, as they say on its own.

However, in the event that the hands become numb almost constantly painfully and even cause too much discomfort, then it will be extremely important for you to consult as soon as possible, therefore, with your doctor observing the pregnancy. It is quite possible that the doctor will decide to prescribe you some additional examinations in case of some additional symptoms. In addition, the doctor can advise you on some kind of analgesic or anti-inflammatory therapy, or send you for additional tests, unless of course he sees an urgent need for such tests.

The feeling of numbness in an arm or leg is familiar to many women who are expecting a baby. Symptoms such as sudden shootings, pulling cramps, pain, crawling, are felt at night and in the morning. Tunnel syndrome of pregnant women is clearly manifested in the second and third trimester. This is due to hormonal changes and fluid retention. This causes swelling of the soft tissues, including the ligamentous apparatus that surrounds the femoral, ulnar, median nerve in the respective canals.

To diagnose the pathology, you should contact a neurologist. An experienced doctor with the help of simple tests will be able to establish the correct diagnosis without diagnostic procedures harmful to the unborn baby. But the treatment is better to carry out by non-traditional methods, but we will talk about this later.

Treatment of carpal tunnel during pregnancy

Do not believe the advice from the pages of women's magazines, the treatment of this pathology is necessary. Otherwise, dystrophy of the nerve fiber may develop and the pain will persist throughout life.

Treatment of tunnel syndrome during pregnancy can not be carried out by taking pharmacological preparations. This will cause irreparable harm to the health of the mother and child. The main goal of therapy in such cases is to eliminate tissue swelling, which causes nerve compression. Tunnel syndrome during pregnancy is corrected using manual therapy methods. With the help of competent effects of reflexology, you can improve the state of the hormonal background. This affects the general condition of the woman. Therapeutic massage and osteopathy, gymnastics help improve blood circulation in problem areas.

In our chiropractic clinic, you will be offered an individual treatment program. You can get a free consultation from a specialist at any time convenient for you.