Carpal tunnel syndrome is wrist pain and numbness in the fingers that can be caused by working at a computer for long periods of time. Candidate of Medical Sciences Andrei Beloveshkin told dev.by what the danger is and why preventing this disease is easier than treating it.
— As popular wisdom says, “where it is thin, it breaks,” and where it is narrow, it is infringed. Our hands can withstand heavy loads, but they also have their weak point, the “Achilles heel”. This is the carpal tunnel (Fig. 1), where 9 muscle tendons and one median nerve pass through one narrow opening (Fig. 2). With prolonged monotonous movements of the hand, the pressure in this channel increases. And since the nerve is softer than the tendons, it is this that is damaged. This condition is called carpal tunnel syndrome, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
This disease is considered occupational in many workers, assemblers, draftsmen, musicians, butchers, and needlewomen. Carpal tunnel syndrome was detected in every sixth person examined who worked on a computer. The computer mouse often affects the dominant hand, but when working at the keyboard for a long time, the other hand also suffers. Preventing this condition is much easier than treating it: in advanced cases, the nerve is damaged, which then takes a very long time to recover. Therefore, even surgery often does not bring relief.
At first, a slight aching pain and discomfort in the wrist appears after prolonged work. Sometimes - in the form of itching, trembling. The pain quickly disappears after a break; warming up helps. The median nerve innervates the larger half of the hand (from the thumb side), so a characteristic sign of carpal tunnel syndrome is the absence of pain in the little finger in the initial stage.
Over the course of several years, the intervals between pain become shorter, and a slight unpleasant sensation in the wrist during work becomes the norm. After some time, this feeling will stop disappearing altogether.
When the syndrome is fully developed, stiffness and a burning sensation in the wrist area are added. Often - in the morning. Sometimes there is a sensation of electric current passing, attacks of burning pain. In some people, the pain may radiate up the arm, reaching the head: pain in the chest, headache on the right side in right-handed people, pain in the cervical region and shoulder. Because of this, people often confuse carpal tunnel syndrome with osteochondrosis.
In addition, there are movement disorders. The muscles of the fingers also suffer. Feeling awkward or weak can limit fine movements of your fingers—difficulty buttoning buttons, tying shoelaces, or tying a tie. That rare case when alcohol has nothing to do with trembling hands.
If the pain suddenly subsides, this is not a reason to rejoice: the decrease in sensitivity was due to nerve damage, and it is then difficult to recover.
There are some very simple tests that can help you determine if you have carpal tunnel syndrome.
Prayer test. Place your palms at chest level, as if praying. Smoothly lower your joined palms as low as possible to the maximum position, hold them in a bent position for at least one minute. Normally, pain and sensory disturbances (pins and needles, burning) appear no earlier than one minute.
Hyundai Hoch test. Raise your outstretched arms above your head and hold them in this position for at least one minute. The same thing: normally, pain and sensory disturbances (pins and needles, burning) appear no earlier than one minute.
Bottle test. Lift the full bottle by the neck with your thumb and forefinger. If it slips out, then you have serious carpal tunnel syndrome. This test appears already in the later stages.
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The best way to avoid the development of the syndrome is the correct posture, hand position, and individually selected mouse and keyboard.
Correction of congenital hand abnormalities: why Top Ikhilov?
The Top Ichilov Clinic uses the most modern medical technologies and techniques for operations to correct congenital anomalies; only the most competent doctors work here, successfully performing operations of any complexity.
Congenital hand abnormalities can only be corrected surgically, and such operations require great skill and experience from surgeons.
Correction of congenital abnormalities of the hand is recommended to be carried out in the first year of a child’s life so that the muscles of the limb do not atrophy due to dysfunction of the hand.
Specialists from Israel's leading Center for Hand Surgery at the Top Ichilov Clinic masterfully perform the following reconstructive operations on the hands:
- Transplantation of fingers or joints of the foot to the hand in case of their deficiency
- Separation of fused fingers
- Stretching short fingers
- Tendon transfer
- Reconstruction of deformed fingers or hands
- Correction of contractures (a condition in which a limb cannot be fully flexed or extended at one or more joints)
- Skin transplantation
- Prosthetics
- Applying splints to affected parts of the hand
The right gadgets
Selecting the right gadgets can greatly relieve pain and stop the development of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Mouse, or shoe rule
You don't buy boots that are too big or too tight, do you? The exact same rule is true for the hand. A large computer mouse is suitable for people whose palms are larger than average. The main thing in choosing a mouse is your own feelings. And to order mice online, you can use a simple rule. If you take a ruler and measure the distance from the tip of your ring finger to the base of your palm, you will get sizes small (up to 17 cm), medium (17-19 cm), large (19-21 cm) + photo. As an option, there are mice with adjustable sizes.
The height of the mouse is important: it must support the palm so that it does not dangle. If the mouse is small for you, then the hand will sag above it, and if it is large, then you will have to squeeze it harder. Ideally, your brush should literally merge with the mouse into one whole. Yes, do not forget to configure the mouse correctly.
When moving the mouse, try to move your forearm more; use hand movement only for small operations.
Try ergonomic computer mice. The disadvantage of such mice is that it takes time to get used to them.
- Vertical mice (Fig. 7, see above). Everything about their device is well thought out, but the hand-to-table surface angle is too high; when working, you need to squeeze your hand, and it tends to slip.
- “Orthopedic” mice (Fig. 6). They are less common and cost more. They support the entire arm, reducing stress and tension on the interosseous membrane. Handshoe Mouse, Contour Mouse, etc.
- Alternative devices (graphics tablets, virtual pencils, touch screens). When working with such a device (Fig. 10), the hand is located in a neutral position (45 degrees to the table surface), the fingers receive less load. Very effective relief for the hand.
Keyboard, or watch your thumb
The same rules and angles apply to keyboards. Ergonomic keyboards are especially good (Fig. 14) - they allow you to maintain the “wrist-table” angle and the “hand-forearm” angle (the keys are rotated for the right and left hands).
The keys should be pressed softly and easily so that there is no unnecessary stress on your fingers. Type correctly: The pain of carpal tunnel syndrome is aggravated by thumb overuse, which occurs if you frequently press the space bar with the thumb of only one hand.
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Treatment of hand pathologies in Top Ichilov: advanced technologies in the hands of professionals
Diseases of the upper extremities at the Top Ichilov clinic are carried out using the most advanced achievements of medicine. Due to the principle of minimal trauma observed by doctors in Israeli clinics, endoscopy and microsurgery in Israel are very developed, operating rooms are equipped with the latest medical technology, which allows doctors to perform complex interventions with pinpoint precision; the same policy is followed when treating such a complex organ as the hand.
Particular attention is paid to such a complex area as the correction of congenital hand pathologies. In it, Top Ichilov doctors achieved outstanding results: removal of extra fingers, reconstruction of missing ones, separation of fused ones, correction of various deformities of the hands and joints - all these problems are effectively resolved in the clinic in the shortest possible time.
Conservative treatment methods are well developed in the clinic and are used in mild cases, but the vast majority of patients still require surgical intervention. Largely thanks to this, hand surgery in Israel is developed at the highest level: doctors in Israeli clinics are able to correct even those pathologies that were considered inoperable in other countries. As for congenital pathologies, they are treated exclusively with surgical methods in the first years of life - until atrophy of the abnormally developing limb begins.
Among the methods used to correct congenital abnormalities of the hand at the Top Ichilov Clinic are the following:
- toe to hand transplantation;
- treatment of syndactyly - separation of fused fingers;
- lengthening of pathologically short phalanges of the fingers;
- transplantation of damaged tendons;
- correction of deformities of both the fingers and the hand as a whole;
- correction of joint contractures.
Despite the complexity of congenital pathological conditions, the medical technologies used at the Top Ichilov clinic, as well as the level of qualifications of surgeons, make it possible to successfully correct them and restore the functionality of the patient’s hands.
Correct posture: 30, 90, 180 degrees
It is very easy to feel the correct position of the hand: stand up, place your feet at shoulder level and squat a hundred times, lower your arms freely. Now look at how the hand is positioned: approximately at an angle of 45 degrees to the body. That is, not parallel and not perpendicular to the hips. This is its neutral position, in which muscle tension is least.
Hence, there are four main rules for creating minimal pressure in the carpal tunnel:
- Angle “brush-table surface” = 30-40 degrees. The brush should ideally lie on the mouse at exactly this angle. The right mouse of your size helps to achieve this (this will be discussed below).
- Shoulder-forearm angle = 90 degrees (Fig. 5). When working, your elbows should be bent and close to your body. Straight outstretched arms cause strong tension in the muscles.
- Angle of hand-forearm = 180 degrees. That is, the hand and forearm should form one line both horizontally (Fig. 3) and vertically (Fig. 4). There are a lot of devices with a special bulge for the wrist - a bolster on a mouse pad (Fig. 12), gel pads or a computer desk with similar bulges. Alternatively, you can place something soft under your forearm, raising your hand, or use a “computer bracelet” (Fig. 13).
- Elbow support, “computer arm support” (Fig. 11). The fact is that the average weight of a person’s hand is 5-7 kg. If the elbow hangs without support, the weight of the arm is distributed to the deep muscles of the neck. This leads to excess tension and pain in the neck, head, and upper back (the trapezius muscles are overloaded). To fix your elbow, you don’t have to buy a new chair or a special table. Google “computer arm support” - there are many cheaper solutions that can be screwed to a chair or table.
Plus it is very useful to learn how to use your left hand. Developing the skill takes about a month, gives +50 to creativity and allows you to get less tired. Remember to change the position of your hand if you are not using a keyboard or mouse, and do not let your hand lie idle all the time if you are not using it. Pick it up, hold it up, spin the ball.
Diagnosis of hand pathologies in Israel
Early and accurate diagnosis is the basis on which the effectiveness of treatment in Israel stands. Doctors make every effort to collect as much information as possible about the patient's condition before starting treatment and apply it to maximize results.
Diagnostics begins without delay, on the very first day after the patient arrives in Israel, and takes only three days.
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
Day one – doctor’s appointment
A personal curator from the international department meets the patient at the airport and accompanies him to his place of residence, and from there to the clinic, where the attending orthopedist is already waiting. On the first day, the doctor conducts an initial examination and collects anamnesis, determines what diagnostic procedures are needed for the patient and writes out directions.
Day two – diagnostics
The Top Ichilov Clinic has advanced models of diagnostic equipment that allows you to collect the most accurate and complete data on the patient’s condition. Among the instrumental and laboratory methods used in examining patients with hand pathologies are the following:
- ultrasonography of the hand;
- Dopplerography of the vessels of the upper extremities;
- radiography, performed in several different projections to create a three-dimensional image;
- CT scan;
- Magnetic resonance imaging;
- arthroscopy of the hand;
- electromyography.
These methods give doctors the opportunity to study all the details of the patient’s condition, the structure of the limbs, the degree and volume of the lesion, and determine the optimal method for correcting the existing pathology.
Day three – treatment plan
The results of all examinations are submitted to a medical council consisting of several specialists in related specialties. Together they study them, confirm the diagnosis and draw up a treatment plan that is best for a particular patient, taking into account all the characteristics of his condition, age, concomitant diseases and other factors that may affect the final result.
Exercises: exercise for the wrist
Exercise helps in the early stages of carpal tunnel syndrome.
- forcefully clench your fingers into a fist and unclench it;
- shake your relaxed hands, gradually lifting them to the sides and up;
- interlace your fingers and make squeezing movements;
- press your elbows to your sides, clench your fingers into a fist and rotate your hands in different directions;
- press your elbows to your sides, palms facing forward, clench and unclench your fingers in the phalanges;
- bring your palms together in front of your chest, pressing with tension on your fingertips, tilt your hands first to the right, then to the left;
- make rotational movements with your hands to the sides and inwards;
- stretch one finger forward at a time and twist your finger either clockwise or counterclockwise;
- make a ring in turn, pressing each finger with force towards the thumb.
For exercises, you can use simple soft rubber balls, with or without spikes: twist them, squeeze them tightly with your whole hand, squeeze them one at a time with one finger, throw them up and catch them. If you keep such a ball on the table, it will be easier to remember about the warm-up.
Do a simple self-massage of your hands. To do this, gradually stretch your fingers one at a time, first with your right hand on your left, then vice versa. From your fingertips to your base. Self-massage and baths are effective at the beginning of the disease, but in later stages the effectiveness decreases.
Advantages of treatment of hand pathologies at the Top Ichilov clinic
The main advantage that the Top Ichilov Clinic offers its patients is, of course, highly qualified doctors. The clinic’s specialists are its main pride: the staff is staffed by the best doctors in Israel, professionals whose authority is recognized internationally, and to whom foreigners can only access by private appointment.
The excellent equipment of the clinic allows doctors to make the most of their knowledge and experience in the fight against even the most complex hand pathologies.
At the same time, prices for treatment in Israel, at the Top Ichilov clinic, are much more attractive than in clinics of a similar level in other countries - thus, the final bills for treatment are on average 30% lower than in Europe, and 50% lower than American, despite the fact that the quality of medical services provided is at the same level, and sometimes even higher.
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Treatment of hand pain
Pain in the hand can become a real problem, as it can interfere with the usual work. If they are caused by injury, then timely and correct treatment by specialists at the CELT clinic will help rapid healing and recovery after a bruise, fracture or sprain.
Because hand pain is a clinical manifestation and not a separate disease, treating pain alone is not enough. In the vast majority of cases, such therapy can only bring temporary relief, since it does not eliminate the original cause of pain.
That is why the specialists of our Pain Clinic practice an integrated approach, which is based on identifying and eliminating the original source of the problem, which allows for a prolonged effect. Professional massage and physiotherapeutic procedures are of considerable importance in treatment. In rare cases, surgical treatment is resorted to. Physiotherapy and massage are of great importance in the treatment of hand pain; sometimes it is necessary to resort to surgical treatment.
Thanks to the efforts of our specialists, treatment of pain in the hands can improve metabolism and blood circulation, relieve swelling, stop inflammatory processes, strengthen joints and normalize their nutrition!
Make an appointment through the application or by calling +7 +7 We work every day:
- Monday—Friday: 8.00—20.00
- Saturday: 8.00–18.00
- Sunday is a day off
The nearest metro and MCC stations to the clinic:
- Highway of Enthusiasts or Perovo
- Partisan
- Enthusiast Highway
Driving directions