Are you suffering from hand numbness and pain that is driving you crazy?
Do you think you might be suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome but want to be sure what this condition it is exactly? Read on!
Recap: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the median nerve gets compressed or essentially choked at the wrist area. There’s not a lot of room in the carpal tunnel area; it is right at the middle base of the wrist it’s full of bones, tendons, and the nerve is right in the middle.
The median nerve can be compressed because of the things we do all day. When muscles become very tight, little amounts of scarring in that area that builds up over time causing more pressure to build up in that small area, and slowly but surely “choking” (or compressing) the nerve.
How to self-diagnose Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The compression I mentioned above may manifest itself through some of these TYPICAL symptoms:
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Night pain that wakes you up and makes you want to “shake out” your hands
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Numbness on the tips of the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and sometimes when it gets really serious it affects half of the ring finger
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Pins and needles, or tingling sensation
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Achiness during the day
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Feeling “uncomfortable”
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Hands feeling weak
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Atrophy. It occurs when the muscle is wasted away and you can see “hollowness” in certain parts of your hand.
All of this can leave you feeling frustrated and annoyed. No wonder because these symptoms can drive one crazy!
Dangerous but popular advice you should not follow!
If you self-diagnosed yourself with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and reached out to people you know for advice, they might have told you to exercise your hands because they are “weak”. It is likely that you were told to squeeze a small ball to “strengthen” your hands and counter the symptoms.
IF there is one piece of advice I can offer you, it is to STOP squeezing your hands or squeezing a ball! Such exercise is actually the worst thing you can do.
I know. Even doctors tell you to squeeze a ball when you tell them that your hands feel very weak. That is the most common misconception about CTS.
Your hands are not “weak”. The cause of your symptoms is the nerve that is being choked and slowing down the message to your muscles to work more. If you keep squeezing the ball or constantly squeeze you fist, you will continue choking that median nerve even more…
Instead, Stretch your fingers and wrist open and back.
Here you will find more information about my Carpal Tunnel treatment that really works.
Want more tips to get started on getting rid of hand numbness and pain?
Call us at 786-615-9879 and ask for your free, no-obligation Carpal Tunnel Treatment Guide which will help you get started getting rid of pain and stop feeling frustrated with numbness.
About the author: Hoang Tran is a certified occupational therapist, the owner of Hands-on Therapy Services and author of the book “The Hands-On Approach”. She loves helping people with hand problems. Call or email at hoang@handsots.com
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
