Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome At
Active Physical Therapy
Active Physical Therapy provides state of the art treatment throughout the state of Maryland. Active has locations in Clinton, Frederick, Gaithersburg/Germantown, Hagerstown, Laurel and Silver Spring / Takoma Park Maryland. Our experienced and dedicated physical therapists and certified hand therapists work closely with our diverse clinical team to design individualized treatment plans to achieve specific goals for each patient.
Signs and Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Introduction Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a painful and often debilitating disorder of the wrist and hand . The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel formed by bones and other tissues on the palm side of your wrist. Within this tunnel runs the median nerve. When the median nerve is compressed or pinched this can lead to CTS. CTS occur when the surrounding tissues in the carpal tunnel, such as ligaments and tendons , get swollen or inflamed and press against the median nerve. This usually results with repetitive motion of the wrist and hand. However, it may also be linked to other factors, such as injury to the wrist such as a fracture.
Risk Factors ● Computer users ● Grocery checkers ● Meat packers ● Violinists ● Mechanics ● Pregnant women ● People diagnosed with diabetes ● Rheumatoid arthritis
● Thyroid disease
Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome CTS are often diagnosed with a detailed history taken either by your doctor or physical therapist . Special tests are then performed to confirm or rule out CTS. If appropriate, a nerve conduction velocity test (NCV) or electromyography (EMG) may be ordered by your doctor to see if the nerves and muscles in your arm and hand show the typical effects of CTS. Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ● Numbness and tingling in your hand and fingers (especially the thumb, index and middle finger) ● Pain in your wrist, palm or forearm ● Above symptoms are usually greater during the night or with prolonged repetitive motion of the wrist and hand ● Difficulty gripping objects and weakness in the thumb
Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome If CTS is caused by a medical problem your doctor will most likely treat that problem which should help relieve symptoms. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to help decrease inflammation. The anti inflammatory can be administered orally or by way direct injection. Your physical or occupational therapist can also play an integral role by using the appropriate interventions to help loosen the tissue surrounding the median nerve and decrease inflammation. Prevention of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Yes, by utilizing some of the tips below you may decrease your likelihood of developing CTS. ● Get treatment for any of the diseases listed that predisposes you to CTS ● Avoid doing the same repetitive movements of the wrist and hand for long periods of time ● Don’t rest your wrists on hard surfaces for long periods
● Try to switch hands during work tasks and make sure your tools are appropriate for your hand size ● Take regular breaks from repeated hand movements
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment What are the common causes of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome? Cubital Tunnel Syndrome can occur due to following possible reasons: ● Sustained bending of elbow during sleep ● Leaning over your elbow for longer time ● Fluid build-up in the elbow ● A direct blow to inside edge of the elbow ● Previous fracture, injury or dislocation of the elbow ● Arthritis of elbow or bone spurs ● Any cyst near the elbow ● Repetitive bending, twisting or flexion of elbow during painting, playing an instrument or using power tools ● Obesity or other health conditions like hypothyroidism or diabetes What are the potential signs and symptoms of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome? Typical symptoms of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome may include: ● Numbness and tingling sensation or intermittent pain in the elbow ● Pain in the elbow extending to your forearm and hand ● Weakness in hand and fingers ● Being unable to straighten your ring and little finger ● Tenderness in the inside edge of the elbow ● Difficulty in gripping and holding the objects ● Reduced ability to pinch the thumb and little finger ● Claw-like deformity of the hand
How can physical therapy help to treat Cubital Tunnel Syndrome? Physical therapy treatment for Cubital Tunnel Syndrome includes patient education along with identification, modification and limiting the causes resulting into nerve inflammation. Apart from this, physical therapists may suggest: ● Ergonomic considerations and changes in patterns of activities causing the condition ● Specific elbow padding may be provided for work and leisure activities as well ● Splinting at night may be suggested to limit range of motion enhancing the compression ● Ulnar gliding exercises and modalities are practiced to relieve the painful symptoms ● Modification of job activities, if needed, may be suggested ● Therapists will suggest you different ways to rest your elbow and also educate you about the ways to use your elbow without putting any extra strain in it. ● Heat or cold treatments may be applied to ease the pain ● Strengthen and stretching exercises are used to strengthen the muscles of the forearm ● Range-of-motion exercises are used to help you to return full length of muscles that are shortened due to protective posturing Contact Active Physical Therapy for the state-of-art treatment of any of your musculoskeletal problems. Our certified ad dedicated physical therapists design individualized treatment plans depending upon your condition and problem.
Our Locations in Maryland For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call:
Clinton Phone: 3018772323
Frederick Phone: 3016629335
Gaithersburg/Germantown Phone: 3019168540
Hagerstown Phone: 3017903929
Laurel Phone: 3014981604
Hyattsville / Takoma Park Phone: 3014341850