About 10 million Americans struggle with carpal tunnel syndrome. The condition — which occurs when the wrist’s median nerve gets pinched inside the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway surrounded by bones and ligaments — causes hand and wrist pain along with numbness, tingling, or weakness.
Even though carpal tunnel syndrome is progressive, meaning it typically worsens over time, you don’t have to live with permanent hand and wrist pain. In fact, avoiding or modifying certain everyday activities can help your wrists and hands stay mobile and pain-free.
At Woodlands Center for Special Surgery, in The Woodlands and Willis, Texas, our team regularly sees patients living with carpal tunnel syndrome. Certain daily habits can exacerbate symptoms. Here, we call attention to eight things that can make carpal tunnel syndrome worse.
Both of these habits can worsen carpal tunnel syndrome by increasing inflammation and reducing circulation. Over time, these factors can further damage the nerves in and around the wrist, aggravating symptoms.
Most office jobs involve repetitive tasks such as typing, using a mouse, and handwriting. You may not be able to avoid these activities entirely, but you can take steps to make your hands and wrists more comfortable.
For example, using an ergonomic mouse and keyboard can ease stress on your wrists and reduce strain. If your job requires repeated lifting, twisting, or other stress on your wrists, consider wearing braces to stabilize them. Taking breaks every half hour to stretch your fingers and hands can help, too.
Many yard tools — such as lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and weed trimmers — vibrate rapidly. In small doses, this may not be an issue, but extended use can compress the median nerve in your hands, making even slight movements painful. If you need to get some yard work done, wear padded gloves to reduce vibration exposure and protect your wrists.
Do you tend to sleep with your wrists bent? Though some people find this position comfortable, it can increase pressure on your median nerve. It may also reduce circulation to your wrist, leading to swelling and aggravating symptoms like pain, tingling, and numbness.
Activities like playing video games, knitting, and doing other hands-on hobbies require precise finger and wrist movements. You don’t have to quit pastimes you love, but do be mindful of how you move your hands and fingers and how much time you spend. Taking frequent breaks and paying attention to discomfort can help reduce strain and prevent symptom flare-ups.
Have you noticed that you slouch when sitting or standing? This often causes you to hunch your back and neck, which can compress the nerves in your shoulder and upper spine.
While these areas may seem far from your hands and wrists, they can influence nerve pathways, contributing to increased pressure on the carpal tunnel and worsening symptoms like pain, tingling, and numbness.
Medical conditions like diabetes, thyroid disease, and rheumatoid arthritis have wide-reaching effects on your entire body. Although they can’t be cured, preventive actions, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking medications as prescribed, can prevent further nerve damage and reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome progression.
We often see patients after they’ve dealt with carpal tunnel symptoms for months or even years. Rather than wait until the pain, tingling, and numbness become unbearable, seek treatment as soon as possible. The earlier we diagnose the condition, the sooner you can take steps to prevent it from worsening.
If you’re worried that daily activities are increasing your risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, we can develop a personalized treatment plan to keep your hands and wrists healthy. To get started, contact Woodlands Center for Special Surgery today by calling the office near you.
