Depending on the severity of your Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, lifestyle changes may help relieve pain and get you back to normal life. Here are seven lifestyle changes to consider if you have Carpal tunnel syndrome
Wrist splint
The first and most important thing to do is get a wrist splint. This will immobilize your hand and help the swelling go down. The second thing you want to do is make sure you’re not using your hands too much! Try dictating with voice recognition software, using voice commands on your phone or tablet, and doing things like painting with a paint brush rather than a paint roller. Get creative!
Ergonomic changes
If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you may find it helpful to make a few ergonomic changes around your home and office. One of the biggest lifestyle changes you can make is switching from a mouse to a trackball or other input device that lets you move your hand freely in all directions. This reduces stress on the wrists and fingers, which are most commonly affected by carpal tunnel syndrome. Another way to reduce stress on your hands is to use keyboard shortcuts instead of using the mouse and menu items as much as possible. It also may help if you adjust how often you type by following these guidelines: type for two minutes at a time, then rest for five minutes before going back at it again.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy is the most common treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. The goal of physical therapy is to improve your ability to use your hands and fingers. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may need as little as a few sessions or more than thirty. Make sure you tell your therapist how much pain and numbness you are experiencing so they can come up with a plan that is tailored for you. Follow their instructions carefully, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if something doesn’t make sense to you.
Steroid injections
An injection of a corticosteroid into the wrist’s carpal tunnel can be an effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. The steroid is injected in the area of the wrist near the median nerve. The doctor will numb your arm before giving you an injection. Steroid injections are usually given one or two times per week and may relieve symptoms for up to six months. Some people notice relief right away, while others need as many as ten treatments before they feel better.
Surgery
Surgery can be an effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. And it’s usually considered when symptoms have persisted for more than 6 months and other treatments haven’t worked. It is also a good option if the person’s symptoms are severe and they don’t improve with non-surgical treatments. The goal of surgery is to relieve pressure on the median nerve by cutting through the ligament at the wrist. This procedure is called release of transverse carpal ligament or TCL.
Adjusting your activity level
If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, try adjusting your activity level. Activities like vacuuming, working in the garden, and doing manual work can aggravate carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. If you are unable to avoid these activities completely, try wearing wrist braces or splints to give your wrists extra support while you do them. Reduce the frequency of those activities if possible and make sure that you’re using proper form when doing them. It might also be worth checking with a doctor or physical therapist about exercises that can help strengthen your wrists and improve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.
Taking breaks
If you’re experiencing any symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, it’s important that you take breaks and not overuse your hands. This will enable them to relax and replenish. To avoid overusing your hands, try using voice commands when possible, or asking someone else to do things for you if they don’t require much effort. It’s also recommended that you don’t spend more than 30 minutes at a time typing on the computer keyboard.
Talk to your Doctor
- Visit a doctor for Carpal tunnel syndrome treatment in Coimbatore to see if you have the condition, and be sure they check your wrist flexor muscle, not just the median nerve.
- Take breaks throughout the day while working on a computer: every 20-30 minutes take your hands off the keyboard, stretch your fingers and wrists, then do some light stretching of the arm and shoulder muscles as well.
- Switch up your work routine by alternating between tasks that require repetitive motions with ones that don’t for an hour each at a time (e.g., using one hand for typing and one for mouse movements).
