Managing Your Carpal Tunnel at Your Desk Job

You probably think of workplace injuries happening to people with manual labor jobs. But you have a desk job! Why do you have carpal tunnel syndrome? And how can you keep the pain from interfering with your career?

Your wrist hurts or your fingers feel numb. You have trouble gripping door knobs and steering wheels. Or it just plain hurts when you try to enter info into your computer at work.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common neuropathy (i.e., pain from an injured nerve) that affects up to 5% of the general population in the United States. You’re three times more likely to have CTS if you’re a woman.

Although symptoms vary, most people with CTS report pain or tingling in their first three fingers and their thumb. Other signs you may have CTS include:

Pain that worsens at night
Pain that improves when you shake out your wrist or hand
Muscle weakness
Loss of sensation in your thumb and first three fingers
Shock-like sensations in your fingers
Pain that travels up toward your shoulders

Dr. John East diagnoses and treats CTS at Addison Pain + Regenerative Medicine in Addison, Texas. In addition to keeping you comfortable with therapies that address your pain, our team may also recommend platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to repair your tendons and median nerve, which may be injured or inflamed.

So, how can you manage your work-related injury while at your desk? Following are a few tips.

Why you have CTS

One of the most common causes of CTS is repetitive movements of your fingers and wrists. Pianists, typists, and computer programmers are especially susceptible to CTS because they constantly press keys and perform other minute movements with their fingers and wrists, sometimes with a fair amount of force.

Over time, these movements can lead to inflammation and degradation of the flexor tendons that pass through the carpal tunnel in your wrist. Your carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel made up of bones and a stiff tissue called the transverse ligament.

When your tendons get stressed or inflamed, they press against your median nerve, which also passes through your carpal tunnel. It’s that inflamed nerve that causes your pain and symptoms.

Genetic factors may make you more susceptible to CTS, such as an unusually narrow carpal tunnel. An injury to your wrist can also make it more likely that your median nerve becomes inflamed and painful, leading to CTS.

Change your routine

Since repetitive movements aggravate the inflammation that causes CTS, the more you vary your routine at work, the more likely you are to avoid pain and weakness in your fingers.

Do warm-up exercises with your hands and fingers before beginning your daily work. Stretch and shake your hands, wrists, and fingers every so often to alleviate pressure.

Change your ergonomics

You may benefit from changes to your workstation that take the pressure off your wrists, forearms, and fingers. Adopt a healthy posture:

Head level with computer screen, looking straight ahead
Back straight or slightly reclined
Shoulders relaxed
Arms close to your sides
Wrists and forearms straight
Hips fully supported by your chair
Thighs and knees parallel to the floor
Feet flat on the floor

You may benefit from a keyboard wrist rest to help keep your hands and wrists straight. If you use a standing desk, make sure your body is in line from your hips to your head. Your feet should be slightly apart. You may alternate putting one foot after another on a footrest.

Take breaks

In addition to wrist and finger breaks, your entire body needs a break from time to time. If you stand up at your desk, sit down for a while, and vice versa.

If you must sit, take a stretching and movement break every 30 minutes. Movement is good for your entire body because it increases circulation and lubricates your joints.

You can also give your wrists a break at night by wearing a brace or splint. A brace keeps your wrist straight while you sleep (many people bend their wrists while sleeping) so you can wake up pain-free.

Get help

If these adjustments aren’t enough, don’t despair. We can help with medications and treatments such as:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain and inflammation
Steroid injections to control swelling and pain
PRP to repair injured tissues

Without treatment, your CTS may worsen. Don’t ignore hand, finger, or wrist pain. You can continue to work your job as long as you make lifestyle adjustments and get the treatment you need.

Do you need relief from CTS? Call our office at 972-380-0000 or request an appointment online today.