According to an article published by the American Academy of Family Physicians, carpal tunnel syndrome is a growing concern in this country. In fact, the article reports that up to about 6% of the adults in the U.S. are affected by this condition annually. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome in El Paso, Texas, then you should know you aren’t alone. In fact, our physical therapy team at Border Therapy Services has helped many patients with this debilitating condition.
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that involves the pinching of the median nerve in the wrist. This nerve runs through a narrow wrist passage called the carpal tunnel, and the nerve can become pinched if it’s inflamed by repetitive motions.
There are many movements you perform everyday that may cause carpal tunnel syndrome. For example, typing for hours at a time can place stress on the wrist, and this stress can lead to median nerve inflammation and pinching. Also, playing video games too much can cause this condition. Many construction workers are at higher risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, and this is because these workers often use vibrating tools like jackhammers and reciprocating saws that vibrate the wrist. In turn, these vibrations can irritate the median nerve and lead to inflammation.
What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?
The median nerve pinching that causes carpal tunnel syndrome also leads to several common symptoms. One of the most common symptoms is pain. Carpal tunnel syndrome pain often feels like a constant cramp in the hand, but you may also feel pain in your fingers, wrist and forearm.
Tingling or numbness are also common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. These symptoms typically appear early on in the development of this condition. They typically affect the thumb, index, middle and pointer fingers. At times, you may even experience a feeling like an electric shock in these fingers.
Carpal tunnel patients also typically have issues with hand weakness. In fact, it may become harder for you to grip or pick up objects, and this can make everyday tasks more difficult. For instance, it may become harder to grip a door knob to open a door. You may also have difficulty holding glasses steady while drinking. If you notice any of these symptoms, then you should consider seeking help from our Border Therapy Services team right here in El Paso.
Border Therapy Services can build you a treatment plan for carpal tunnel syndrome
At Border Therapy Services in El Paso, our team is dedicated to helping patients find the physical therapy they need for many issues. This includes building physical therapy plans for treating carpal tunnel syndrome. Our plans are personalized to your needs, and they may contain therapy methods like:
- Manual therapy
- Wrist posture education
- Therapeutic stretches
- Targeted strengthening exercises
- Electrical stimulation
- Wrist brace advice
By combining these therapies into an effective plan for you, our team may be able to help you get several benefits. For instance, our plans are intended to help reduce pain. They are also designed to restore your ability to do everyday tasks and improve your quality of life.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.