Panama City, Fla. -
If you have chronic pain and numbness in your hands, it could be a signal of carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition was long-thought to be associated with tasks such as continuous typing.
However, new evidence suggests that there may be no direct connection between office tasks and carpal tunnel.
Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Mark Awantang says, "If you really go by the literature, the only job that has a clear relationship with carpal tunnel is people who use jackhammers and heavy equipment."
Dr. Awantang is a hand specialist from Southern Orthopedic Specialists who just moved to the area. He says it's important to recognize the symptoms of carpal tunnel.
"If there's fluid retention inside the wrist, the pressure can cause the nerve not to work right," explains Dr. Awantang.
This then leads to pain, especially in the thumb, index and long finger. The pain can make fingers numb or wake patients up at night.
Dr. Awantang says the condition can sometimes be treated with a brace. Other times, surgery is needed. He says special training has allowed him to now perform the surgery with a very small incision, about a centimeter in length.
Dr. Awantang says the best way to prevent carpal tunnel is to lead a healthy lifestyle because conditions such as diabetes and hypothyroidism are risk factors.
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