Spine and Sports Medicine NYC

A friend of mine was working at her desk recently as a photo editor at a major news agency. Without warning, a sharp, piercing pain shot through her wrist and up her arm. She described it as “an electric shock.” She thought at first it might be just a passing cramp, though she remembered she had been trying to ignore a tingling feeling in her hand and wrist for the last few months and recognized that it might be related.

A trip to the doctor indicated the possibility that the pain was caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful progressive condition caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist. “Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist,” says Spine & Sports NYC’s own Dr. Kessler. “The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers, as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move.” The carpal tunnel — a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand — houses the median nerve and tendons. Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be compressed. “The result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm.”

Any condition that exerts pressure on the median nerve at the wrist can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Tendon inflammation resulting from repetitive work, such as uninterrupted typing, can also cause carpal tunnel symptoms.

Tips on Relieving Wrist Pain

• Prop up your arm with pillows when you lie down
• Avoid using your injured hand as much as possible
• Find a new way to position or move your hand to relieve pressure
• Try to use the other hand more often
• Avoid bending your wrists down for long periods

If you are experience wrist pain and need to schedule a consultation, call us now at 212-986-3888 or visit our website athttp://spineandsports.com/