Steemit Learning Challenge-S22W1; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Have you ever try to make a firm grip of an handbag or your handset and it seems as if you fingers are so weak to take hold of it, that could be carpal tunnel syndrome, a little numbness of this area can affect all other parts in that region because the compression of the median nerves, the median nerve is the main nerves that is found in the arm and hand, it is important for movement and sensation, meaning that it works two purposes listed above, whenever there is a compression of this nerves due to the pressure that is exerted on the carpal tunnel, a narrow region where this nerves passes for protection then you are most likely to experience carpal tunnel compression, so we can say that carpal tunnel syndrome is a feeling of inactiveness of the wrist due to the compression that occurs a the carpal tunnel.

CAUSES OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

I decided to do some research on how pregnancy causes carpal tunnel syndrome, and I found something very interesting, which I will write directly as the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Hormonal changes during pregnancy: During pregnancy, hormones like oestrogen are likely to be secreted more often and more randomly in the human body, and as this is done, it promotes water retention. The fluid retention may lead to various parts of the body swelling, and as such, the wrist may not be left out; therefore, as this tissue swells, there is an increment in size, and it applies pressure on the median nerves, thereby causing carpal tunnel syndrome.

• Under very normal conditions, the nerves can never increase in size, but if this happens, it means there is a pathological or physiological factor that may lead to this, and that could be a swelling due to diabetes or maybe an accidental condition that causes the size of the carpal tunnel to reduce, making the nerves appear bigger than they are.

• When there is a repetitive wrist movement, like in typing or using hand tools that applies much pressure on the hand and wrist, we may experience this syndrome.

SYMPTOMS

There is always this weird feeling that comes into play when your body system is not in the right condition; the first is algia (pain).

• There is a feeling of pain in the hand and wrist region, and this pain may proceed to the shoulder region due to the median nerves that run through the upper limb.

• A pin-like sensation is felt in the carpals; remember, the carpals are the bones of the fingers, meaning that this feeling could be felt in the thumb, index fingers, and so on.

TYPES OF CTS

The severity is determined by the causative mechanism; acute CTS (carpal tunnel syndrome) lasts for a few days because it is likely felt due to accidents like a fall and fractures. Chronic CTS may last for months, and this is experienced due to a condition of movement of the wrist. Secondary causes may be due to variation that occurs in the body system, like in pregnancies and diseases like diabetes.

DIAGNOSIS

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be diagnosed in different ways, and that is through physical examination where the patient muscles and sensory deficit could be examined.

• Special test like Phalen's test where the wrist is flexed and halted to see if the symptoms still precede.

• Tinel's sign is a way of tapping the nerves in the wrist region to see if the patient will feel a tingling sensation or discomfort.

• Instead of saying median nerve compression, clinically I would say perform durkan's compression test because this test is generally used in the detection of median nerve compression, and it is done by applying the thumbs pressure on the carpal tunnel for some seconds; if it tests positive, you will feel numbness or pain in the carpals.

PHYSIOTHERAPIC EXERCISES

These are the exercises I performed, and there are...

VBLOGS

Wrist rotation exercise.

Arm prayer exercise

Stretches for CTS

Median Nerves glide

MY REVIEW; MY FEELING

Performing this exercise was so easy for me since i had no effect on my carpals tunnel, but while performing I was able to determine the stretch of flexibility my wrist could attain without the syndrome and the different area of my wrist more effect was felt, like in the Wrist Rotation exercise where the wrist is turned I felt the nerves stretch in the back of my palm and also the mobility and the contact sounds in the wrist joint, and also for the arm prayer as I pull the prayer palms downward, I felt a striking pull of muscles in this region which if accidently I had a CTS, I am sure this would have so effective in the determination of the severity of nerve compression because of the pull pressure exert on the wrist region.

I am glad to start this exercise from week 1, seeing entries from @dwings, @bossj23, @fortwise09, and @whizzbro4eva will gladden my heart.

Cc.
@ashkhan