Steemit Learning Challenge-S22W1; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome"

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Carpal tunnel syndrome

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Carpal tunnel syndrome

If I simply talk about carpal tunnel then there are carpal bones and there's a tunnel present in that bones through which median nerve passes that supplies fine muscles and hand muscles.

If I talk about development of carpel tunnel syndrome then it can be due to multiple reasons but it cause compression of median nerve due to which nerve becomes swell and it's ability to supply hands and fingers muscles diminishes which results in weakness and pain during motion of hand or fingers.

Carpal tunnel syndrome types

If I talk about carpal tunnel syndrome types then there are four types that I am describing below;

• If I talk about primary carpal tunnel syndrome then this is not caused by any underlying medical condition but it can be caused due to repetitive motion or due to bad posture.
• If I talk about secondary carpal tunnel syndrome then this is caused by any underlying medical condition related to any other health issue like diabetes and arthritis can provoke this condition.
• If I talk about acute carpal tunnel syndrome then it don't take weeks or months to develop because it is caused by any sudden trauma.
• If I talk about chronic carpal tunnel syndrome then it takes weeks or even months to develop so in this type symptoms worsen with time.

Symptoms

• If you have this syndrome then you will feel sharp and burning pain in your wrist,hand which will be radiating towards your fingers.
• If you have this problem then due to comprising blood supply you will feel numbness and tingling sensation in your wrist and fingers.
• If you have this syndrome then your symptoms will get worsen at night time.
• If you have this problem then visible redness and swelling will feel at wrist.
• If you have this problem then you will not able to move your wrist actively.

Causes

• Repetitive motion can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Sudden trauma can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Underlying medical problem like thyroid issues, diabetes can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Aging can also be a factor that can cause this problem due to occurrence of wear and tear.
• Minor fracture in hand can also pinch your median nerve.

Risk factors

• Vibrating tools usage.
• Continuously using keyboard for typing.
• Excessive forceful gripping of something heavy.
• Continuous keeping hand in flexion or extension as a habit.
• Underlying medical conditions including diabetes, thyroid issues.

Prevention

If you want to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome occurrence then avoid the following things mentioned.

• Vibrating tools usage.
• Continuously using keyboard for typing.
• Excessive forceful gripping of something heavy.
• Continuous keeping hand in flexion or extension as a habit.

Treatment

• If you have this syndrome and you want treatment then first you should immobile your affected wrist and for this you should wear wrist splint.
• If you feel swelling at affected wrist then apply ice and if only there's redness then apply heat.
• If you have pain so for this you can use painkiller as temporary relief.
• If your symptoms have been treated and doctor is advising you to start moving your wrist then you should take start with some of the exercises for strengthening and stretching of your hand and wrist muscles.

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Diagnosis making

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Clinical evaluation

• If I talk about first step of clinical evaluation then it's all about taking consent from patient for taking medical history.
• If patient complaint is pain , numbness and tingling sensation in wrist radiating towards fingers then it's a major factor for clinician to consider that it may be carpal tunnel syndrome and now you need to ask about any underlying medical condition including thyroid, arthritis or diabetes or any traumatic history.
• If in medical history upon your asking patient is telling about trauma history at wrist or at carpal bones then you should count it as positive point in your clinical evaluation.
• If in medical history patient is telling you that his occupation relates with continuous typing or weight lifting with hand then you can also consider a plus point in evaluation.

Inspection and palpation

• If you are done with clinical evaluation asked by patient then it's time to do visual inspection that is there any signs of redness and swelling at affected area.
• If there is swelling and redness present then you should seek for tenderness in that area by gentle pressing at wrist.

Assesment tests
If I talk about assessment tests then we can perform following assessment tests at patient;

• Phalen's test will be performed by asking patient to flex wrist for at least 30-50 second and check if patient complains about tingling or numbness.
• Tinel's sign is performed by clinician when he will tap at course of median nerve and positive test will be marked if patient feels pain, numbness or tingling upon doing it.
• Median nerve compression test will be performed by applying gentle pressure at median nerve for minimum 30 second and upon symptoms provocation test will be marked as positive.
• Flicks sign will be checked by asking patient to flex his thumb against resistance and if symptoms increase then test is positive.

Imaging studies

• If I talk about nerve conduction studies then this imaging studies will be useful to check how much speedly nerve is passing impulses to muscles.
• Electromyography is another imaging studies useful for evaluation of muscle of wrist and hand and nerve supply to muscle.
• X-ray can be useful in diagnosis of underlying condition like arthritis but it's not for CTS particularly.

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Exercises performed by me

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https://youtube.com/shorts/4nVxQ_DiAYw?si=zsgrcjpaOthI7KiW

Wrist rotation

https://youtube.com/shorts/csu4R3ljkD8?si=Ir4kW6Rvyo2ORecE

Arm prayer stretch

https://youtube.com/shorts/4BT2ZHPhR4U?si=2Y5s6h0FST-7YNcl

Median nerve glide