Syndrome of a carpal tunnel

In medicine it is accepted to call group of defeats of peripheral nerves because of long squeezing or traumatic effects in musculoskeletal channels tunnel neuropathies or syndromes. The most widespread of tunnel neuropathies is the syndrome of a carpal tunnel which can be characterized as a prelum of a median nerve under a cross ligament of a wrist. It occurs between three bone walls and a sheaf holding sinews which bend a brush and fingers.

Reasons of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel

According to various statistical data, the syndrome of a carpal tunnel occurs among female population of the planet at 3-10 times more often than among men's. It is known that though the disease is observed at different age groups, the most part of cases are the share of aged people from 40 to 60 years. Also it should be noted that this pathology is inherent in preferential Caucasian race, and it almost does not occur among some African people.

Perhaps, it is caused by the fact that various situations which provoke inflammatory processes and puffiness in muscles, sinews and a joint of the tunnel are the main reason for a syndrome of a carpal tunnel. It is work behind the typewriter, long occupations on a piano and, of course, the computer. For this reason informally this pathology is also called a syndrome of a computer mouse. Actually any work demanding frequent repeated movements can act as a cause of illness.

Among other reasons of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel it is possible to note the following, the most widespread:

• Various rheumatic states which affect the area of a wrist and a hand leading to chronic inflammatory processes (for example, a pseudorheumatism);
• Pregnancy, especially on deadlines;
• Use of oral kontratseptichesky means (as well as in case of pregnancy, can promote a delay of liquid and, therefore, puffiness of hands);
• Tumor of a median nerve;
• Various injuries of a forearm and brush, such as changes, bruises and dislocations;
• The pathological increase in hands called by an acromegalia;
• Endocrine diseases (for example, diseases of a thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, early period of a menopause etc.);
• Diseases of internals (for example, renal failure);
• Other occupations demanding capture and regular strong compression of a wrist.

Specialists quite often note interrelation between an aggravation of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel and cold season that demonstrates that overcooling of an organism also promotes development of a disease.

Symptoms of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel

Symptoms of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel quite specific so sometimes it is possible to determine by them without effort existence of this disease at the person. The most widespread of them is the following:

• Pricking, burning and pain in hands and forearms;
• Wastage of sensitivity and numbness around a wrist;
• Motive disturbances;
• Signs of disturbance of microcirculation of wrists.

Pain at an early stage of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel is, as a rule, observed in deep tissues of index and average fingers. Pain which is aching and the stupid, quite often passing into the area brushes and forearms. In most cases it is followed by numbness of skin of fingers and brushes, days, after awakening especially in the morning.

Often numbness leads to considerable decrease or even to full loss of painful sensitivity at first in palms, and then and in all hand. Several hours later such state usually passes. It is also possible to lower hands down and to move fingers: it helps to eliminate unpleasant feelings for a while.

Gradual motive disturbances act as the following symptom of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel. In process of development of a disease it becomes difficult for person to hold in hands even small objects, and force of their capture by a brush by means of a hand thumb considerably decreases.

Disturbance of microcirculation in hands is one more common symptom of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel. They are shown, first of all, by means of a vasospasm. It caused pallor of skin of hands at patients, its bluish shade and a cold snap which can be checked наощупь. Besides, disturbance of microcirculation leads to strengthening or decrease in sweating at people with a syndrome of a carpal tunnel, and also to disturbance of food of skin and nails that is shown by deterioration in their outward.

Diagnosis and treatment of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel

Except the above described symptoms of a disease, it can be defined by means of diagnosis by some tests. The test of bending and extension helps to reveal existence of a syndrome as follows. The healthy person has a hand in the provision of the maximum bending or extension there can be about a minute. However at patients with this pathology during this time prickings around fingers are observed.

Tinnel's test is based on percussion on area of the tunnel which causes pain and a pricking in fingers. However it is effective in cases of heavy degree of a syndrome.

Treatment of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel can be subdivided on conservative and surgical, depending on disease severity. Conservative treatment can be divided into three groups:

• Restriction of movements;
• Physical therapy;
• Treatment by medicines.

Restriction of movements assumes a condition of rest of area of a sick brush throughout a long time. Sometimes imposing of tires on a wrist is required.

The physical therapy is directed to creation of magnetic field. At such treatment of a syndrome of a carpal tunnel often use acupuncture which recovers exchange processes in the damaged fabrics.

Drug treatment most often includes use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for elimination of pain, introduction of glucocorticoids and use of diuretics for removal of hypostases and an inflammation. Besides, at a syndrome of a carpal tunnel quite often register the drugs recovering microcirculation and functions of a median nerve.

Surgical intervention is applied in case conservative treatment is inefficient. It, as a rule, consists in a section of a cross ligament of wrist that allows to take off pressure upon sinews and a median nerve, and also to recover normal microcirculation of fabrics of a brush.