[전문의 칼럼]Office workers who frequently use computers should beware of ‘carpal tunnel syndrome’

Choi Shin-woo, professor of orthopedic surgery at Gangneung Asan Hospital

Choi Shin-woo, professor of orthopedic surgery at Gangneung Asan Hospital

Eunyoung Jeong (pseudonym), a woman in her 30s, is an office worker. I often had pain in my wrist and numbness in my fingers, but I didn’t think it was a big deal because the symptoms soon improved naturally. However, the symptoms recently worsened at night, and after visiting the hospital, he was diagnosed with <a href="https://time.news/carpal-tunnel-syndrome-symptoms-is-there-severe-pain-in-the-wrist-of-the-hand-it-may-be-a-sign-of-carpal-tunnel-syndrome-do-these-things-to-prevent-it-what-are-the-symptoms-of-carpal-tunnel-is-i/" title="Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms, Is there severe pain in the wrist of the hand? It may be a sign of carpal tunnel syndrome, do these things to prevent it – what are the symptoms of carpal tunnel, is it serious?
– 2024-08-04 09:52:43″>carpal tunnel syndrome.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include intermittent wrist pain or finger numbness in the early stages. Those who don’t think this is a big deal often massage their wrists or apply a patch. However, if you miss the right time for treatment, you may experience decreased sensation and motor dysfunction of the thumb. As a result, they may not be able to use chopsticks or write properly, which can cause great inconvenience in their daily lives. There are cases where treatment results are not good, such as no improvement even after surgery.

If you experience pain in your wrist and a numb and burning sensation in the tips of all fingers except the little finger, you may have carpal tunnel syndrome. There is a ‘carpal tunnel’ in the wrist made up of bones and ligaments. Nine tendons and one median nerve pass through this tunnel. There are 10 structures packed together inside the narrow carpal tunnel. Overuse of the wrist can cause inflammation within the tunnel and swelling in the tendon. Eventually, the median nerve, which is relatively weaker than the tendon, is compressed, causing carpal tunnel syndrome. In particular, office workers who use a computer keyboard or mouse for long periods of time are prone to developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

If you do not have enough time to visit the hospital, there is a self-diagnosis method that can be easily performed in daily life. They are Prosecutor Palen and Prosecutor Tinel. The Phalen test is a method of bending the wrist to 90 degrees, placing the backs of both hands together, and checking for pain or numbness after one minute. The Tinel test is a method of checking for pain by stretching out the palm and tapping near the center of the wrist (where the median nerve passes). If you experience pain or numbness in your wrists and fingers just by self-diagnosis, it is best to visit a hospital for an accurate diagnosis. At the hospital, nerve conduction tests, electromyography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests are performed to check the condition of the nerves and muscles in the hand area. If carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed, treatment is provided to relieve inflammation within the carpal tunnel. You can also take anti-inflammatory drugs or inject steroids into the tunnel using an injection. In some cases, splints are used to limit the use of finger tendons.

If there is no improvement with these methods, ‘carpal tunnel release surgery’, which cuts the transverse wrist ligament, can be performed. Simply put, it widens the ‘tunnel’ inside the wrist to allow the nerves to pass through comfortably.

To avoid a situation that leads to surgery, you need to reduce the strain on your hands and wrists. Office workers who use a keyboard or mouse for a long time are advised to use a cushion or rest on their wrists. Also, even if you use a mouse for a long period of time, you should take breaks in between and stretch your fingers to reduce tendon fatigue.

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Choi Shin-woo, professor of orthopedic surgery at Gangneung Asan Hospital

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