Here at Mountainstate Orthopedic Associates, people from Bridgeport, WV, Fairmont, WV, and Morgantown, WV, come to us for carpal tunnel. However, we are happy to see patients from all over North Central West Virginia.
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
This is when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel, an opening in your wrist that is formed by the carpal bones on the bottom of the wrist and the transverse carpal ligament across the top of the wrist. The median nerve provides sensory and motor functions to the thumb and three middle fingers.
Women are three times more likely to get it than men.
Causes
- Frequent, repetitive, small movements with the hands, such as with typing or using a keyboard
- Frequent, repetitive, grasping movements with the hands, such as with sports
- Joint or bone disease; for example, arthritis, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis
- Hormonal or metabolic changes, for example, menopause, pregnancy or thyroid imbalance
- Changes in blood sugar levels that may be seen with Type 2 Diabetes
- Other conditions or injuries of the wrist; for example, strain, sprain, dislocation, break or swelling and inflammation
Common Symptoms
- Weakness when gripping objects with one or both hands
- Pain or numbness in one or both hands
- “Pins and needles” feeling in the fingers
- Swollen fingers
- Burning or tingling in the fingers, especially the thumb, index and middle fingers
- Pain or numbness that is worse at night and interrupts sleep
Diagnoses
Your orthopedic surgeon may recommend that you have electrodiagnostic tests on your nerves. They stimulate the muscles and nerves in your hand to see how well they work.
Treatment
- Splinting your hand: Helps keep your wrist from moving and also eases the compression of the nerves inside the tunnel.
- Anti-inflammatory medication: May be oral or injected, which reduces swelling.
- Surgery: Eases compression on the nerves.
- Worksite changes: Changing position of your computer keyboard or making other ergonomic changes can help ease symptoms.
This surgery is one of the most common procedures performed in the United States. With a simple outpatient procedure that takes about 10 minutes, our orthopedic surgeons at MOA can correct this problem, and you can regain dexterity. Usually within two weeks, patients are back to using their hands regularly.
Carpal Tunnel Surgeons at MOA
The orthopedic surgeons at MOA have been providing cutting-edge care to patients since 1977.
Our surgeons, many of which are fellowship-trained in specific areas such as sports medicine and hand & foot injuries, can diagnose and treat even the most intricate orthopedic conditions.
The members of our staff work very closely with one another to provide the best individualized care to each patient and are committed to providing a positive state-of-the-art orthopedic experience for everyone by being efficient, compassionate and helpful.
To download a symptom checklist and to watch a quick video, click below:
Learn more about our carpel tunnel care.
To learn more about our orthopedic surgeons, click here. If you are in the Bridgeport, WV, Fairmont, WV, or Morgantown, WV, and are living with carpal tunnel syndrome, MOA can help get you back to your previous way of life.