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.
Do you have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, such as numbness or tingling in your fingers? If so, you might be surprised to learn its causes.
Our team of orthopedic surgeons at Crescent City Orthopedics understands the many factors that contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. Let’s first explain what it is.
This common condition affects your hands and wrists, causing pain, weakness, or numbness. Your carpal tunnel allows the median nerve in your wrist to connect to your hand and forearm. The nerve gives feeling to your thumb, index, and middle fingers, and half of your ring finger.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when you have increased pressure on your median nerve, causing it to be pinched.
Motions that can put you at risk for developing this condition include:
Although anyone can get carpal tunnel syndrome, your chances of developing it increase as you age.
Believe it or not, many want to blame carpal tunnel syndrome on time at your keyboard. But that’s not necessarily the case. It affects anyone who uses their wrists and hands constantly, whether you’re at work or play.
Certain factors put you more at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome, including:
Females develop carpal tunnel three times more than men.
Conditions such as pregnancy and menopause cause hormonal changes, which puts you more at risk.
Poor habits and poor health can contribute to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. For example, smoking, having a sedentary lifestyle, or being obese can put you more at risk.
We talk to you about your risk factors and what might be causing your condition during your consultation with us.
Regardless of the activity that’s causing you to use your hands and wrists regularly, try these remedies to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome:
You can play an active role in prevention if you make these practices a habit.
Our team takes a conservative approach to relieve your symptoms.
We provide splints, anti-inflammatory medications, and steroid injections. We also guide lifestyle and activity changes you can make, plus we show you physical therapy exercises that can help.
Continued pain and numbness may leave you with outpatient surgery as your best option. It involves releasing the ligament that covers your carpal tunnel at the base of your palm, taking the pressure off your median nerve.
If you have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, contact our team today by phone or book your appointment online at the office nearest you in Metairie, Chalmette, or Covington, Louisiana. We can also provide a telemedicine visit if that’s a more convenient option for you.
