Description

Carpal tunnel

syndrome what is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most common nerve compression.

Why happens?

In most cases, although no specific cause can be determined, as a result of
microtraumas caused by repetitive movements of the hand or wrist, the movements
of the hand and especially the first 3 fingers and the sensation of the first 3
fingers and half of the ring finger are just below the wrist line of the Median
Nerve, in the flexor retinaculum. It occurs as a result of the compression of
the carpal ligament under the carpal tunnel.

Who is it seen?

Handicrafts such as knitting, crochet, garden hoeing, milking, carpet wiping,
shaking, dish washing in women, rough positions of the hand or wrist in men,
the use of vibrating hand tools for a long time (drill, compressor, etc. ) for
a long time using screwdrivers, digging shovels, cutting wood,
etc. Traumatic factors such as the long-term use of a computer mouse may
play a role in the compression of the wrist between the table and the bones,
local trauma, obesity, endocrine diseases, temporary during pregnancy, in
dialysis patients, kidney patients with AV dialysis shunt on the forearm It is
more common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
The female / male ratio is 4: 1, and it is bilateral in more than half of the
cases.

What are the symptoms?

Characteristically, patients wake up at night with a “lethargic hand”
and try to relieve it by waving or drooping or rubbing the fingers. They
cannot find a place to put their hands, most patients need to rest their hands
on the walls, they feel the need to put their hands under the pillow, keep
their hands under hot or cold water, but the pain does not go away in any position.
Numbness occurs in the palm, especially in the thumb, index finger, middle
finger, and half of the ring finger. Subjective involvement of the little
finger for unknown reasons is also uncommon.
Hand weakness, especially in hand shaking, weakness such as not being able to
lift a teapot or even a pot may be accompanied by muscle melting. It can
rarely manifest itself without any complaints of muscle wasting and
pain. There are patients who state that they have difficulty lifting even
a glass.

How can we protect?

We can be protected by observing the basic factors mentioned above, such as
protecting the hand and wrist from movements that will be subjected to
crushing, from mechanical trauma, and if there are other underlying diseases,
such as diabetes, not to interfere with their maintenance treatment.

How is the treatment?

Non-surgical treatment is recommended for cases with short duration, mild
involvement or hypothyroidism, where obesity or weight gain during pregnancy is
expected to be corrected. But; Surgery is required for cases
resistant to non-surgical treatment or in cases where severe sensory loss,
muscle wasting, and strength loss are present.
Operations are performed under local anesthesia by chatting with the
patient; It takes about 30 minutes. In general, patients feel great
relief and relief from pain during the night of surgery. This situation
reaches approximately 95-98% in our personal experience.
Since closing the wound after the operation is done with “aesthetic
stitch”, it is not possible to take stitches after the operation.
After the surgery, patients are kept under observation for about 1-2 hours and
then discharged to their homes. Patients who undergo surgery can do their
own daily tasks such as eating, changing their clothes, buttoning their buttons
as soon as they leave the surgery. But; It is recommended that they
do not hang their hands for the first 3 days, and they should stay away from
activities that will force the wrist for 2 months, such as washing dishes, carpet
cleaning-sweeping, knitting-crochet, and using a screwdriver.