The LIGHT Center, T-90, College of the Redwoods (476-4290) - January 22, 2000

Question #1: What do farmers, mechanics, assembly line workers, painters, seamstresses, butchers and musicians all have in common?

Answer #1: The answer is an increased probability of acquiring Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. CTS is not new. It may well be that the numbers of cases have increased given the rapid growth of computers and people who are keyboarding for hours at a time. However, reliable numbers in terms of the incidence of the syndrome really do not exist.

Question #2: What does Carpal mean?

Answer #2: Carpal is derived from the Greek word "karpalis" meaning wrist.

Those individuals who perform repetitive wrist and hand movements are those most at risk for developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a space or passageway in the wrist. Through this passageway run the flexing tendons of the fingers and thumb as well as the median nerve. The tendons attach muscles to the bones in the hand. When the wrist is bent or the fingers move, the muscles and tendons go into action. When this happens, the tendons in the carpal tunnel move. In order for them to move effectively, the inner walls of the tunnel produce a fluid. With repetitive or excessive movement of the hand, the fluid system that works to lubricate the passageway can fail. The tendon begins to swell and squeezes the median nerve.

The median nerve functions to provide sensation to the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. When it is irritated, the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome emerge. These symptoms include the following:

• Tingling and numbness in the fingers. Often occurs during sleep, driving or holding the phone or newspaper.
• Pain from the wrist up the arm to the shoulder, or, down into the palm or fingers.
• Weakness in the hands, common dropping of objects.
• Loss of feeling in some of the fingers.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is considerably more common in females than in males. In fact, three times more women have the condition than do men. The chance of developing the condition increases with age, most often affecting people in the 40 – 60 year old range. Individuals with jobs or hobbies requiring them to engage in repetitive hand or wrist movements are also more apt to develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is not a condition that only occurs in isolation. It is something that is part of the symptomatology of other conditions including arthritis, diabetes, gout, hypothyroidism, pregnancy, menopause, gynecological surgery, wrist fractures or cysts, or the use of oral contraceptives.

Comments? mailto:trish-blair@redwoods.edu

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There are a number of proven and as yet unproven things used to treat this condition. One of the more radical is a career change if the problem is related to an action at work. Some believe that yoga and relaxation techniques can help reduce the pain associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Yet others believe that vitamin B-6 can assist in reducing the pain. Physical therapy, massage, heat, hydrotherapy, and chiropractic treatments are all being used to treat the pain associated with Carpal Tunnel.

The best way to manage Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is to avoid it from the onset. There are some things one can do to at least decrease the likelihood of the problem.

• When keyboarding, hit the keys softly. Research suggests that many people use four to five times more pressure than is necessary.
• When writing by hand, use a big pen with an oversized, soft grip adapter, and free-flowing ink.
• Take frequent breaks.
• Give your hands a break by gently stretching and bending them about every 15 minutes. More frequent breaks are necessary if one uses equipment that vibrates, such as a jackhammer.
• Avoid bending your wrist all the way up or down. Keep your keyboard at elbow height or slightly lower.
• Watch your posture.
• Keep your hands warm. If the environment is cold, try fingerless gloves.
• Use ergonomically designed equipment.
• A wrist splint at night can help.