Wrist

Wrist

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is irritation of the median nerve as it passes through a tunnel at the front of the wrist. The median nerve supplies feeling to the thumb, index, middle and half of the ring finger, which is why pain, numbness and/or pins and needles can be felt in these areas as a result of pressure on the nerve. Symptoms usually become worse at night as the area attracts swelling causing excess pressure on the nerve. Due o increased inflammation carpal tunnel is more likely to occur in women that are pregnant.

Irritation of the nerve is most commonly caused by an increase in pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the tunnel. The tunnel also houses tendons from muscles which flex the fingers. These tendons can become thickened and swell up, meaning that the tunnel has less space for the nerve to run through.

Your physiotherapist as City Physiotherapy is able to help with a number of treatment options such as dry needling, night splints, taping and neural mobilizing that will help to facilitate the drainage of swelling and normal movement of the nerve through the tunnel.

In the event that your case of carpal tunnel syndrome does not respond well to physical therapy your physiotherapist at City Physiotherapy is able to refer you for an X-Ray and Ultrasound with possible referral to a surgeon to perform a carpal ligament release, a technique which involves cutting the ligament which forms the top of the carpal tunnel to enable the release of pressure from the median nerve.

De Quervain’s Syndrome

Also known as tenosynovitis of the thumb, this painful condition involves the swelling and irritation of tendons as they run through sheath and pulley system on the outside of the base of the thumb. Causes of this condition are unknown however it may be attributed to repetitive activities such as gripping and pincer action with your thumb and forefinger.

You will most likely feel pain during activities that require the use of your thumb, and almost certainly feel pain when doing Finkelstein’s Test.

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