Occupational Therapy For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Your hands are essential. We use our hands for tasks every day. These tasks can be repetitive and demanding in nature and cause pain. A wide range of professions such as construction, computer work, a mechanic can all put you at high risk for injury and pain. Obesity and arthritis are other risk factors associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. If you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, occupational therapy is likely your best course of action. Here at East End Occupational Therapy, we understand carpal tunnel and how to treat it. Schedule a consultation at Occupational Therapy Long Island so we can get your hands back to feeling whole again. 

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve compression) is a condition that causes weakness, numbness, and tingling in the hands. This happens because the pressure on the median nerve, which runs the length of your arm, goes through a passage in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. The feeling and movement in all fingers and your thumb(except pinky) are controlled by the median. 

Carpal Tunnel Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Difficulty holding things and weakness in the hand
• “Shock’ feelings that move through your fingers 
• Numbness, burning, tingling in your index and middle fingers or thumb and palm
• Tingling that moves up the arm

Due to the position of your hand, while you sleep, you may notice numbness and feel as though you have fallen asleep. 

In the early stages of the condition, shaking your hands may help make the numbness go away. As the condition progressively gets worse, your grip will weaken because the muscles in your hand shrink. Cramping and pain will increase. 

Carpal Tunnel Causes

It can be caused by:

• Pregnancy
• Conditions such as obesity, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and hypothyroidism 
• Things are done when with your hands lower than your wrists—things such as typing and repetitive wrist motions.

Pre-Surgery Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy can be used to treat CTS in its early stages. 

These treatments can include:

• Exercises that strengthen fingers, forearm, hand, and wrist 
• Massages that can relieve swelling and pain
• Splinting provides universal symptom relief for a limited amount of time. 

In certain cases, if treated early enough, occupational therapy is enough to avoid surgery. However, occupational therapy is more widely used post-surgery. 

Importance Of Occupational Therapy After Surgery

If surgery is the best option for you, it is critical that you must seek post-op to ensure proper strengthening and healing of the tissues in the hands. Many patients develop nerve damage, stiffness, infections, and pain along the scar from surgery which may make using the hand difficult if the patient doesn’t opt for occupational therapy. 

Ways occupational therapy helps:

• Range of motion- helps in functional ROM of hand
• Splinting- ensures proper healing without risk
• Sensory re-education- aids scaring that may become sensitive and impact the use of hands
• Pain management- decrease pain and increase movement through the use of modalities
• Edema control- increase active range of motion by reducing swelling

Best Occupational Therapy Long Island

Carpal tunnel is a difficult thing to navigate day-to-day life with and manage on a regular basis. That is why many opt for surgery to correct this type of complicated and bothersome ailment. Post-surgery it is critical to opt for occupational therapy. Occupational therapy plays a vital role in helping people return to their daily tasks, whether work-related or taking care of themselves. Occupational Therapy Long Island understands the needs of our patients and makes it our number one priority to make them whole again. Visit East End Occupational Therapy at any of our 3 Long Island locations today.