Have you experienced weakness when you are gripping objects with one or both hands? You may experience the feeling of pins and needles in your fingers or burning and tingling, especially around the thumb, index, and middle fingers.
Maybe pain and numbness interrupt your sleep at night. These are some of the common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, but they are similar to other medical conditions or problems of the hand. Our hand specialist can explore some of the causes and risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome in Richmond with you during a consultation.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that begins in the wrist. The symptoms occur when the median nerve is wedged as it travels through the wrist. This nerve runs into the palm of your hand through a narrow tunnel in the wrist called the carpal tunnel. This tunnel is made up of bones and ligaments. When the area becomes smaller, it can squeeze the median nerve, which causes the symptoms.
Typically, these symptoms start slowly and may begin by feeling burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm and the fingers. You might experience a decrease in grip strength that can make it difficult for you to form a fist, grasp small objects, or open jars. There are several available treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome in Richmond, which may be influenced by what caused the carpal tunnel syndrome to develop.
There are several reasons why carpal tunnel can develop in one or both of your hands. What causes the condition are factors that trigger swelling in the wrist and pinch the median nerve.
One cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is a wrist fracture. Depending on the bones that were broken and where the swelling occurs, it can squeeze the median nerve and cause symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome to develop.
Another cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is arthritis. Arthritis in the wrist can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness. This joint inflammation can cause swelling in the carpal tunnel that triggers symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
A common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is repetitive strain injury. This can happen from movements you make repetitively at work or in a recreational activity. For example, consistent use of a keyboard that is not ergonomically friendly can affect your wrist and cause swelling in the carpal tunnel. Repetitive strain injuries are caused by doing the same activity over and over until it begins to hurt the body.
Ganglion cysts are another cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled lump. Normally, these are located just below the surface of your skin and do not typically cause symptoms. Ganglion cysts often disappear on their own, but when they occur over the carpal tunnel, they can cause pressure over the median nerve.
Any injury, fracture, joint disease, or illness that causes fluid to build up in the wrist can trigger symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome in Richmond.
A common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is repetitive wrist movements; however, this is also a risk factor. There are health conditions that can increase your risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. One of those is pregnancy, which causes fluid buildup in the extremities for some women. Extra blood supply to help feed a growing baby can sometimes cause fluid leakage into the hands and feet. In the hands and wrists, this can increase the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Diabetes can also increase your risk for several reasons. The first is changes in the connective tissue that can lead to swelling or thickening in the carpal tunnel passageway. Chronic high blood sugar can also lead to nerve damage that primarily affects nerves in your extremities, like your hands and feet.
This makes them more susceptible to damage. Diabetes also increases your susceptibility to inflammation and microvascular damage. Both of these factors can increase the risk of swelling in the wrists, which contributes to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Other health conditions can also increase your risk, such as kidney disease or metabolic changes that impact swelling. Just because you have a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome in Richmond does not mean you will develop the condition.
If you are experiencing pain or numbness in your hand or fingers, we encourage you to make an appointment for a consultation to evaluate your causes and risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome in Richmond and determine if you have the condition.
Several treatment options can help reduce or eliminate the symptoms, and lifestyle changes can help prevent it from developing again. There is no need to suffer in silence – call us today for an appointment.
(804) 506-3050
(804) 506-3050