Introduction to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Way back when I first started at Barclays, one of the first clients I treated was returning to work after being signed off with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  Which is a common and painful disorder of the wrist, caused by pressure on the median nerve which creates numbness and tingling in the fingers.  At its worse it can lead to loss of grip and permanent numbness in the fingers.

Repetitive computer use thought to be one of the causes, but scientific studies have shown contradictory results.   A recent review of the scientific evidence found that frequent computer or mouse use can nearly double the risk of developing the condition.  Repeated tapping, scrolling and swiping on your smartphone or tablet can also lead ot carpal tunnel problems.  If these sort of repeated movements are the cause then improving your posture will help.  But it is also worth ruling out other possible causes such as:

  • Diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Thyriod Disease

Next I will explore what will help.

Reference

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25582979

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28635099

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10337041

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