Risk Factors & Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Risk Factors of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Occupation

Jobs that require repetitive motion of the forearm, wrist and hand increase the risk of developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Combining force, especially uncontrolled, external forces, heighten the risks. Some occupations of concern are:
• Manual Labor
• Meat Packing
• Fish Packing
• Lumber Jacks
• Vibrating Equipment Operators
• Construction Workers
• Vehicle Assembly Workers
• Truck or Cab Drivers
• Typists
• Computer Programmers

Hobbies

Much like jobs, passionate hobbyists can heighten the risk of developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Hobbies that require motion of the forearm, wrist and hand increase risk, especially if that hobby is performed sitting down. Some hobbies of concern are:
• Knitting
• Crocheting
• Needlepoint
• Crossstitch
• Sewing
• Quilting
• Beading
• Woodworking
• Gardening
• Cooking
• Video Gaming
• Card Playing

Age, Sex and Pregnancy

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome develops in more people aged 40-60.
• Statistically women tend to develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome more than men.
• Pregnant women may develop symptoms due to fluid retention.
Health Issues
A number of health issues can contribute to developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome either because they share similar causes or their effects on the body heighten the risk. Either way one may be a warning sign for another. Some health issues are:
• Diabetes
• Hypothyroidism
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Hepatitis C
• Down's Syndrome
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Menopause

Physical Issues

• Since Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by friction in the Carpal Tunnel, having a small Carpal Tunnel is a risk. This may be a genetic trait leading towards Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
• Having a square wrist where the width is roughly equal to the thickness, instead of a typical rectangular shape, may heighten the risk. A square wrist may imply a small Carpal Tunnel as well.
• Obesity can heighten the risk of many repetitive stress injuries including Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Other Issues

Some other issues that can increase the risk of developing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are:
• Stress
• Cigarette Smoking
• A Bad Diet

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Early detection and treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is important to checking the progression of this debilitating syndrome, and yet some of the early symptoms are subtle and can be easily mistaken for other issues.
The first symptom people usually notice is that their hand and fingers become numb and tingling while they are sleeping causing them to wake up frequently during the night. Most people do not even realize that this is a symptom of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and attribute the numb feeling to sleeping on their hands in an awkward position, cutting off blood circulation. Routine Sleep interruption from any cause has serious health implications and should be addressed with a strong sense of urgency (more details below).

- Sleep interruption from numb hands and tingling fingers
- Waking up -- Numbness in Hand at Night and Pain in Wrist
- Hand Pain and or Wrist Pain
- Weakness in Hand and Wrist - loss of hand muscles
- Pain Radiating up the Forearm - Poor Circulation, Hands falling asleep
- Cold Hands - Forearms warm - Loss of Hand Grip Strength
- Loss of Feeling Sensation in Fingers & Thumb - Dropping Objects - Forks - Glasses - Pen - etc.
- Numbness in Fingers or Tingling - Index, Middle & Ring Finger - Numbness in Thumb

- Loss of fine motor skills in hands - Clumsiness in Hands
- Aching Shoulders and Neck
Most Frustrating Results Patients Report Due to CTS Symptoms
- Lost Time at Work and Unproductive Daytime Sleepiness - Inability to Button Buttons, Tie Shoes, Turn Key, Apply Make-up -etc.
- Interruption of Earnings - Day Time Grogginess Affects Safety and Effectiveness at Work
- High Blood Pressure and Poor Health from Chronic Sleep Loss - Irritability Often Impacts Valued Relationships

A more detailed description of symptoms of chronic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include:

Cold hands with warm forearms due to constriction of blood circulation in and around the carpal tunnel. Restricted blood circulation is a contributing factor to chronic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Burning pain that radiates up the center of the forearm -as far as the shoulder and neck.

Difficulty gripping the steering wheel and overall decreasing grip strength as the hand muscles atrophy due to pain and lower levels of hand activity.

Clumsiness with hands, Routinely dropping objects or the inability to make a fist.

Loss of fine motor skills in the hand, inhibiting such tasks as writing, tying a shoe, working a mouse, picking up coins, buttoning a shirt or coat, threading a needle, doing needlepoint, etc.

Weak hands and inability to support one's self with hands on stairs, or climbing into a truck or on a ladder, or when balancing with a cane or in other precarious situations.

Inhibited hand and wrist movement due to pain, and numb tingling hands or tingling fingers.

Loss of feeling or swollen sensations in the hand or fingers

Finger Pain, finger numbness and/or finger clumsiness particularly in the thumb and/or in the index or middle fingers. (the pinky or little finger is not affected or controlled by the median Nerve nor is it generally associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome).

Constant aching of the upper shoulder and neck is common as the pain follows the nerve path up to the nerve center in the brain.

Hand dysfunction can lead to lost earnings, time away from work and loss of self esteem as a contributor at work and at home, some suffers even experience depression.

Routine Sleep Interruption - CTS sufferers often complain that they wake up 2 to 10 times per night due to numb tingling hands and that pins and needles feeling. Most sufferers find it extremely annoying to be awakened constantly with tingling fingers and numb hands. In more mild cases people wake up in the morning with numb tingling hands. Without treatment mild Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms will progress to chronic sleep loss. Routine Sleep interruption has serious health implications and should be managed with a strong sense of urgency. For drivers and heavy equipment operators, the safety implications of routine sleep interruption and day time sleepiness requires immediate proactive therapy. Routine chronic sleep disorders have been linked directly to cardiopulmonary disease, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, heart arrhythmia, insulin resistance, vascular inflammation, migraines, psychological disorders, day time sleepiness, etc. Sleep loss can be one of the most serious and debilitating issues associated with the Carpal Tunnel condition. Day time groggyness inhibits clear thinking and affects everything you do from driving a vehicle to carrying out the simplest of tasks.

Shooting Hand Pain or Wrist Pain that suddenly runs up the forearm and can also shoot down to the fingers and thumb.

Numbness in hands at night, tingling hands, swollen hands,Numb fingers, tingling fingers, finger numbness, swollen fingers, Thumb Numbness, Tingling Thumbs or Pain in Thumbs.