Monday, October 19, 2009

Wrist Braces And Stretching Exercises Can Help Alleviate Any Painful Symptoms Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

By Tom Nicholson

Some days are worse than others are for those who suffer with carpal tunnel syndrome. This disorder comes with inflammation and swelling that can cause numbness or tingling in the hands or fingers, the discomfort and pain can range from mild to severe. Sometimes known as a repetitive use injury carpal tunnel may begin as an easily ignored tingling sensation but as the injury progresses the pain can radiate from the wrist all the way up your arm.

This kind of pain can cause you to miss work and more importantly a good night's rest. If carpal tunnel is interfering with the way you work or live then it is time to call your family physician. Catching the problem early will prevent a small problem from growing in a huge one.

Medical professionals often offer differing types of treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. They often offer things such as anti-inflammatory medicines, regular stretching and exercises, corticosteroid injections and the use of wrist braces for either day or nighttime use. In extreme cases, surgery might be the only decent option. The best time to treat carpal tunnel syndrome is when symptoms first begin and not when the pain is so bad that you cannot stand it anymore and your daily activities are severely hampered. Carpal tunnel is like any other medical condition it is best taken care of when it first begins so that the condition does not become debilitating or require surgery.

The median nerve is surrounded by these flexors and can be put under pressure if the flexors are inflamed due to repetitive movements daily. Pressure can give you the tingling or numbing sensation that you feel after using your hands or wrists continuously. People who work in industries such as tailoring, machinery, construction or even musicians or other such similar daily work activities may find themselves prone to this unfortunate condition. Using regular stretching and exercise techniques can help keep you from experiencing carpal tunnel even if you haven't been prone to any symptoms as of yet.

Some positions such as construction, musicians, tailors and laborers are examples of this kind of work. If you are in one of these fields or just feel like you might be at risk there are some simple exercises and stretches you can employ to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome in the first place.

If you are, experiencing inflammation or swelling the use of hot and cold packs with anti-inflammatory drugs can be very helpful. If or when your symptoms become more severe you can use a wrist brace during the day or while you are working to prevent the condition from worsening. Carpal tunnel will not heal on its own in fact left untreated the disorder will progressively get worse.

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