Jun 8, 2006

Dear Bossy

I think I may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I haven’t gone to a doctor to check it out, but I’m just curious if there’s anything I can do for relief in the meantime?

- House Painter
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Dear House,

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused when the median nerve – which runs through a canal in the wrist along with tendons – is compressed, causing syptoms such as pain and numbness.

Not to be confused with Holland Tunnel Syndrome, in which four lanes of traffic are compressed into two, causing symptoms such as road rage.

Usually Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is attributed to increased hand use or repeated motion, but other precursors such as family history can play a role. Other risk factors include sex.

That’s not what Bossy means, you dirty-minded readership –- Bossy is referring to the fact that women are three times more likely to suffer from this condition than men.

The first symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can often appear while trying to sleep. You may experience tingling of the thumb along with the index and middle fingers.

Not to be confused with the symptoms which appear with Holland Tunnel Syndrome, which are solely limited to the middle digit.

As Carpal Tunnel progresses, you may have difficulty making a fist, and suffer from the inability to grip.

Compare that with Holland Tunnel Syndrome in which you suffer from the inability to get a grip.

There are braces and wrist splints available online that hold the hand rigid and keep the wrist in place.

We interrupt this blog for the following important message: The expressed written content of Bossy is not the shared medical opinion of Weblog, GoDaddy, Google, Altavista, MetaCrawler, the World, the Universe.

The problem with the arm brace is that it can be uncomfortable to wear, and over a period of weeks may cause your forearm muscles to atrophy. For best results, wear the brace only at night or when partaking in the activity that caused the symptoms to onset.

There are other solutions, such as Tylenol, a cortisone shot, or quitting your job and moving to Alaska’s North Slope Wilderness.

A physician will be able to determine if you have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with a series of simple tests such as flexing the hand to determine muscle strength. Also there’s that bit about inserting the needle electrode into your wrist muscles.