Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, tingling and other symptoms in the hand and arm, including cold hands.
Cold hands are a common symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome along with pain in the shoulder, pain in the forearm and even in your neck. The most notable reason for chronic cold hands with carpal tunnel syndrome are caused by pinched nerves that restrict blood circulation which interferes with the healing process and most time leaving your hands cold regardless of the weather.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a compressed nerve in the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway on the palm side of your wrist. Two reasons for this condition is injured soft tissue and the other is inflammation that traps parts of the Hand Wrist creating pressure on the blood flow and causing numbing, tingling and cold hands.
Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Some of the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Repetitive Motions, like typing, or any motions of the wrist that your do over and over. This typically occurs when your hands are lower than your wrists.
- Medical conditions, such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and obesity are common conditions that can be associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.
If you have any of the symptoms mentions you may have carpal tunnel syndrome. If you think you may have carpal tunnel syndrome, you need to have it checked and treated by a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic Hand Wrist surgeon because the symptoms can last a long time, get worse, and can even go away and return. The sooner diagnosed the easier carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated.
Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Treatments can range from yoga to surgery, but many orthopedic Hand Wrist surgeons will order a steroid injection, physical therapy or home therapy with a brace to see if the symptoms go away before more testing is ordered to see if surgery is necessary to provide complete relief.
Ways to Relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome can become worse when you hold your Hand Wrist in the same position for long periods of time keeping your wrist and bent either up or down. If your work makes it hard to keep your wrist straight then try some of these tips to help reduce your cold hands:
- Take a break for 10-15 minutes every hour and stretch your hands.
- Talk to your manager to see if you can change your desk, tools, or workstation setup.
- Try to alternate which hand you use for your tasks.
- Use only as much force as you need. Don’t hold your tools too tightly or pound away at your keyboard.
- Watch your posture. Try not to roll your shoulders forward, which sets off a chain reaction that makes wrist problems even worse.
Hand Wrist Specialists in Wake County
Your well-being is important to us. Click the button below or call us to schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists. If your injury or condition is recent, you can walk right into one of our Raleigh Orthopaedic Urgent Care locations for immediate care. For rehabilitation and physical therapy, no referral is needed to see one of our physical therapists.
