| When you continually stretch and pull the | | | | |
| muscles and nerves in the wrist and hand | | | | The risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome |
| through excessive repeated motions at work or | | | | is not confined to people in a single |
| home, carpal tunnel syndrome may occur | | | | industry or job, but is common among those |
| causing pain, numbness and weakness in the | | | | who work on assembly lines doing |
| hands, fingers and wrists. This painful | | | | manufacturing, sewing, finishing, cleaning, |
| affliction is caused when the median nerve, | | | | and meat, poultry, or fish packaging jobs. |
| which runs from the forearm into the hand, | | | | |
| becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. | | | | While there are a number of ways to treat |
| This nerve controls sensations to the palm | | | | carpal tunnel syndrome including exercise, |
| side of the thumb and fingers (although not | | | | medications and surgery, most doctors stress |
| the little finger), as well as impulses to | | | | the importance of preventing it in the first |
| some small muscles in the hand that allow the | | | | place by replacing traditional office |
| fingers and thumb to move. | | | | equipment and furniture with better, more |
| | | | agronomical styles and learning to perform |
| Symptoms usually begin gradually, with | | | | specific stretching exercises; taking |
| frequent burning, tingling, or itching | | | | frequent rest breaks; wearing splints to keep |
| numbness in the palm and the fingers at | | | | wrists straight, and using correct posture |
| night. The thumb, middle and index fingers | | | | and wrist positioning. |
| are most commonly afflicted. As symptoms | | | | |
| worsen, people might feel tingling during the | | | | Trying something as simple as wearing |
| day and a experience a decreased grip | | | | fingerless gloves can help keep hands warm |
| strength. In chronic and/or untreated cases, | | | | and flexible while redesigning workstations |
| the muscles at the base of the thumb may | | | | can enable a worker's wrist to maintain a |
| waste away. Some people even lose their | | | | more natural position during work and help |
| ability to distinguish between hot and cold | | | | alleviate the stress on muscles and joints |
| through touch. | | | | that can cause injury in the first place. |
| | | | |
| Carpal tunnel is most commonly caused by | | | | Developing programs in ergonomics, the |
| trauma or injury to the wrist that may cause | | | | process of adapting workplace conditions and |
| swelling, such as sprain or fracture; work | | | | job demands to the capabilities of workers |
| stress; repeated use of vibrating hand tools; | | | | can all help to prevent carpal tunnel |
| fluid retention; or the development of a cyst | | | | syndrome as well as a variety of other |
| or tumor in the carpal canal. | | | | physical ailments. |