
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition of the wrist and hand in which the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the Carpal Tunnel. The Carpal Tunnel is an anatomical tunnel at the base of your palm. Through this tunnel travels 9 tendons, as well as the median nerve. It is surrounded on three sides by the carpal bones, and on the forth side by a ligament, the transverse carpal ligament. The median nerve can be compressed by a decrease in size of the tunnel, or by an increase in the size of the contents. For example, if the lubrication tissue around the tendons becomes inflamed. The symptoms are felt on the radial (the side closest to the thumb) and palmar (the side that your palm is on) side of the hand, thumb, index and middle finger, as well as the radial, palmer half of the ring finger, and may include pain, tingling, numbness or weakness. Some patients may also experience pain in their forearm.What caused my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is usually considered to be an overuse injury, but the exact cause is still disputed. Flexion (bending the wrist forwards) and extension (bending the wrist backwards) causes 8x and 10x the pressure on the carpal tunnel, respectively. Therefore, it is believed that these actions performed repetitively may be a primary contributing factor. Other contributing factors may be obesity, hypothyroidism, arthritis, diabetes/pre-diabetes, and trauma.How can you help me with my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

What should I do to avoid aggravating my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
- AVOID activities that aggravate the pain. If you use a mouse and keyboard a lot, try to keep your wrists as neutral as possible (your physiotherapist can show you strategies to avoid aggravating your pain).
- DO try gentle, pain-free movements of the wrist and fingers (note: PAIN-FREE).
- Applying non-steroidal anti-inflammatories may help to reduce pain in the short term, if inflammation is present. CONSULT your PHARMACIST regarding their use.
- For RELIEF, try applying heat to the affected area. If using a heat pack, be sure to heat based on the guidelines of that particular heat pack, and always wrap the heat pack in a towel to avoid burn. DO NOT apply heat if the area is red or inflamed. CEASE if you have any negative reaction.
- REMAIN ACTIVE, but avoid aggravating activities.
- RECEIVE physiotherapy care to get your joints, ligaments and muscles de-loaded and moving freely with no restrictions.