Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Must do

The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Pandemic - Are You a Victim?
By Rose Windale

The "occupational disease of the 1990's" as it has been termed. And so the pandemic continues to date- carpal tunnel syndrome. Most people do repetitive tasks due to the nature of their work. For instance, secretaries, meat cutters, carpenters, musicians, housewives and the prominent populace of regular computer users. These people are those more susceptible to developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Other than repetitive tasks, certain diseases and conditions can be cts causative factors. For instance, fractures or falls on the hand or improperly designed hand tools. These can make a person predisposed to the syndrome as well. And then again there is rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, gout, acromegaly and Paiget's bone syndrome.

These joint and bone-related conditions may also cause carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Cts primarily affects the carpal bones, or else the wrist bones. Bones in this particular area form a tunnel like structure, hence it is called the "carpal tunnel". Nine tendons pass through this "tunnel" along with one nerve, called the median nerve. When the median nerve becomes irritated, this is when carpal tunnel syndrome begins to take place. There is said to be a relationship between spinal health and carpal tunnel syndrome. A large number of patients who had cts were found to be suffering from spinal nerve root irritation as well.

Nerve compression in the neck often causes a blocked flow of nutrients to the wrists. The wrists may then become more prone to injury, one of which is cts. A study among 1,000 carpal tunnel syndrome patients cited that most subjects who had neck arthritis also have cts. There are varied approaches to carpal tunnel syndrome treatment. A thorough neurological exam may be performed, afterwhich it is determined which part of the nervous system has irregularities. When a patient suffers from one side of the body, the opposite side of the brain is often associated. The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, and the contrary also applies.

The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body. If, for instance, the right side of the body is experiencing pain, then the left side of the brain might be firing at an abnormally high rate. The particular brain area concerned would often have to fire at a higher frequency for the corresponding body part to perceive pain. If it so happens that the pain is bilateral (both sides), then the brain stem or the cerebellum may be associated. The carpal tunnel syndrome pandemic is an offshoot of occupations demanded of the new century. Called by many other names such as occupational neuritis, partial thenar atrophy and median neuritis, cts may well be anticipated especially with poor working conditions.

Numerous occupations require repetitive tasks to carry out. It would significantly aid to be properly informed about carpal tunnel syndrome. Not merely in terms of treatment, but most especially prevention. Where not only a person is spared from physical and occupational inconvenience, but further health care costs and expenses.

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