Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Wrist Braces For CTS

By Tom Nicholson

For those in the employment fields where repetitive movement involves the wrists and hands, carpal tunnel can have a profound effect on your performance and lifestyle. This condition happens when the median nerve is compressed at the wrist location and can cause numbness or a tingling sensation or even muscle weakness. This type of painful situation has become more commonplace due to the amount of people working in office jobs as opposed to years past. If you haven't experienced any symptoms of carpal tunnel but frequently use your hands and wrists each day there are exercises and stretches that can help you avoid this painful situation. Dealing with the everyday discomfort of carpal tunnel can be exhausting but somewhat easier with the use of wrist braces.

You should not self-diagnose your wrist or hand pain. Be sure to see a medical professional in order to have an educated physician make the correct diagnosis if it is indeed carpal tunnel that you are dealing with. Many times people will assume an injury is just a short-lived pain and will heal itself or go away within time, while in fact it will continue to get worse without any medical attention or treatment plans in place. If you are experiencing any type of 'pins and needles' feeling, numbness or pain in your wrists, fingers or hands, be sure to seek the help of your family physician to correctly diagnose your symptoms before making any conclusions yourself.

When you use a wrist brace when dealing with the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome you will be able to alleviate much of the pain and discomfort that is experienced. Additionally, you will be protecting the joints and muscles from any further injury while still being able to be active. There are many different kinds of wrist braces that can be used. Each of them has their own advantages as well as limits for the user. In order to choose the wrist brace that best suits your needs, be sure to talk it over with your physician. This way you will choose the right brace to start the healing process. Some of the braces require a prescription, but many are available for purchase over the counter. They are available in a wide variety of sizes at various costs. They can be found at nearly any pharmacy location or outlets that sell medical supplies and equipment.

You should look for a wrist brace that is very durable and is specifically designed to treat carpal tunnel symptoms. The wrist brace should be able to keep the wrist at an even level without forcing it into an uncomfortable position. There should be a metal plate on the bottom of the brace that is shaped like the palm of the hand. Make sure that the thumb has some mobility in the brace it is important to keep using it during the recovery process. If you don't keep using the thumb it could atrophy and need additional therapy.

With a proper fitted wrist brace your carpal tunnel symptoms can be minimized with regular use and continuous exercises and stretching as directed by your doctor. Be sure to follow your treatment plan closely as it will help build back the strength in the muscles of the wrists and hands for use when you are not utilizing the wrist brace.

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