Steemit Learning Challenge-S22W1||Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Hello everyone. This week's lesson has proved to be really educational and interesting too. I've learnt a lot of useful information and I've also been motivated to learn more about carpal tunnel syndrome.

What's carpal tunnel syndrome? Write in your own words after getting knowledge from the lesson post

From this week's lesson I have learnt a lot and researched a lot. I would define Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as a condition that is very common and affects the hand and wrist. I know lots of people who are battling with CTS. This condition occurs when the median nerve, which starts from the forearm to the palm of the hand and through the wrist called the “carpal tunnel”, is compressed or pinched and this compression can cause lots of issues and symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or even burning sensations in the thumb, index, middle finger or even the whole hand.
It can also cause weakness or clumsiness in the hand, making it difficult for the individual to perform tasks such as gripping or grasping objects. Sometimes a person may hold an object and it falls from the hall without the individual knowing due to the excessive numbness caused by this condition.
The individual battling with this condition may also have experienced pain or aching in the wrist, hand, or forearm and tingling or shock-like sensations that radiate to the fingers.

Types of carpal tunnel syndrome

Acute carpal tunnel syndrome
Here, symptoms occur suddenly. It is usually caused by a serious injury which can lead to sudden increase in swelling or inflammation in the wrist area

Chronic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Unlike the acute, this type is a long-term condition where symptoms persist or recur over time and not suddenly.

Primary Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Primary carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common type and accounts for about a greater percentage of cases though cause is not known.

Secondary Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Secondary carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the individual already has an underlying medical condition or that increases pressure on the nerves.

Stages of CTS

Stage 1: Mild (Early Stage)
The numb and tingling sensation symptoms often resolve on their own with rest and avoidance of too much work and other activities.

Stage 2: Moderate
Here symptoms become more persistent and happens both days nd night.

Stage 3: Severe
Symptoms interfere with daily activities and performing simple tasks becomes difficult.

How would you diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome? Any clinical investigation or assessment tests?

I would carry out series of evaluation such as clinical evaluation, physical evaluation, sensory examination and even diagnostic tests

First Clinical Evaluation
I will inquire to know the medical history of the patient so I will be able to identify any underlying medical conditions that may be contributing to CTS, such as any thyroid disorders or arthritis.
Next I will assess the symptoms associated with the condition. This includes the duration (how long the patient has been dealing with cts), severity (how grete is the pain) and location of pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness.

Physical examination
A physical examination needs to be done too. As the healthcare provider I will assess the median nerve in the wrist to check for any tingling or numbness in patients fingers.
I will also conduct the phalen's test. Here, I will assess for numbness, tingling, or weakness in the fingers or wrist.

Sensory examination
The next step I will take is to conduct a sensory examination by assessing sensation in the patient's fingers. I will apply methods like light touch, pinprick, and vibration.
I will also assess the muscle strength and function in the hand and fingers.

Diagnostic Tests
I will also conduct the electromyography test also called (EMG) as an acronym. EMG tests are done to measure the activity of a patient's muscles where a thorough check is conducted for muscle damage or dysfunction of any kind

Nerve conduction studies (NCS): I will also conduct the NCS to measure the speed and strength of electrical signals traveling through the median nerve.
Finally, I will use ultrasound imaging which can help assess the median nerve and surrounding tissues of the patient for signs of compression or inflammation.

Try to practice at least 3 exercises that you have learned from the lesson. Share images, gifs or videos while practicing preferably gifs or videos

Share your review after performing these exercises either on yourself, healthy individual or patient

I practiced the arm prayer stretch, wrist rotations, finger bending and straightening and median nerve glide.

Arm prayer stretch

Here you hold your arms as if you're praying and maintain the posture for a few minutes then repeat the process again but not overly stretching your arms to avoid tension and pain.
Review: I felt really good when I was done. My arms in particular felt more flexible and easy to lift up and down after the repeated sessions.

Wrist rotations

First, hold your arm straight out in front of you and let your palm be down.
Next, Use your other hand to gently pull your hand back and up, stretching your wrist.
Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat 3-5 times.
Review: This exercise helped to relieve tension in my wrist and in my forearm and I felt a lot better afterwards.

Finger Bending and Straightening

Place your hand flat on a surface with your fingers extended.
Slowly bend your fingers down toward your palm, and then straighten them again.
Repeat this motion 10-15 times.

Review: This exercise helped improve finger mobility and reduce stiffness. I noticed a little pain in my thumb area( not caused by the exercise. The exercise actually helped me discover the painful area so I will continue doing it to relieve the pain.

Median Nerve Glide

Hold your arm straight out in front of you with your palm up.
Then Bend your wrist down, then straighten it again.
Repeat this motion 10-15 times.
Review: This participating exercise was really tedious for me. I felt intense pressure in my wrist and arms. After doing it repeatedly the tension reduced and it helped improve mobility.

I find this week's activity so interesting and practical. The exercises are really beneficial for all. We do not have to wait to have carpal tunnel syndrome before we start exercising. It can and should be done to prevent it and increase flexibility which is essential for healthy living. I thank the organizers of this activity🤗🤗

I invite @ruthjoe @ninapenda @steemflower