Signs Your Shoulder Pain Needs Help
Shoulder pain isn’t uncommon, but how do you know when to see your doctor? Here’s what you need to know.
Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when the median nerve in your hand gets compressed and causes you to feel weakness, tingling, or numbness, affecting your middle finger, index finger, thumb, and a portion of your ring finger. This condition occurs in about 4-10 million people in the United States and usually develops in middle-aged and older. It also happens more commonly in women than in men.
Our team of orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine specialists at Crescent City Orthopedics in Metairie, Louisiana, offers superior treatment and care for your carpal tunnel syndrome.
Let’s look at five reasons you might develop carpal tunnel syndrome.
A fracture or trauma to your wrist can narrow your carpal tunnel, which is the pathway that’s surrounded by your ligaments and bones on the palm side of your hand. An injury to this area can cause pressure that irritates your nerve, allowing carpal tunnel syndrome to occur.
If you have an underactive thyroid gland, fluid can build up in your connective tissues, putting pressure on your legs and arms and promoting nerve damage. The swelling can put tension on your median nerve, causing it to be pinched. When this happens, you might experience tingling sensations or numbness, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome.
High blood pressure can put pressure on your median nerve and cause interruption to your blood flow. Without proper blood flow, your nerves can malfunction and lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
When you have high sugar levels in your body, the tendons in your carpal tunnel can become inflamed and lack movement, causing numbness and pain in your forearm, fingers, and hand.
When you’re pregnant or going through menopause, your body can retain a great deal of fluid because of your fluctuating hormones. The extra fluid in your body creates pressure within your carpal tunnel, resulting in pain.
When you come in to see us, we evaluate your symptoms and what’s causing your carpal tunnel syndrome. Once we diagnose you, we can treat your condition effectively with conservative, nonsurgical options to give you relief. Depending on the severity of your issue, we may recommend surgery to remedy your symptoms completely.
If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or think you might be at risk for developing this condition, contact us today by calling our team at one of our three locations nearest to you, or you can book your appointment online. You can also feel free to send our team a message if you have any questions or concerns.
