Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the leading occupational injuries in the United States and is most prevalent in workers who use their hands and wrists for repetitive motion, such as office workers who type frequently.
There is a nerve in your wrist called a median nerve. When an extensive amount of pressure is put on this nerve due to repetitive motion, carpal tunnel can develop – causing pain, numbness, tingling and overall discomfort.
WebMD offers suggestions for relieving carpal tunnel that you can practice at home if the pain is mild. You may first notice your symptoms while you begin to lie down at night to go to sleep. If this occurs to you:
- Ice your hand and wrist every one to two hours for ten to fifteen minutes at a time.
- In order to take pressure off your median nerve, wear a wrist splint at night.
- Rest your wrist between activities and limit the activities that are causing pain.
- In order to reduce pain and swelling, take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
Other suggestions to help eliminate issues with your wrist are holding your hand in a neutral position, grabbing items with your whole hand and not your fingers only, and alternating hands often when you perform certain tasks.
See a doctor immediately as soon as you start noticing the pain so the symptoms can be alleviated. Some carpal tunnel cases are extremely severe and may require medication or even surgery.
When you begin to notice any pain in your wrist, see a doctor and ask your employer about workers’ compensation.