When people say they have carpal tunnel syndrome, they’re often mistaken. The term is sometimes used as a catchall to describe any kind of hand pain.
“About 50 percent of everyone saying, ‘I have carpal tunnel syndrome,’ even diagnosed by a doctor, don’t have [it],” says Dr. John Knight, director of the Hand and Wrist Institute in Beverly Hills, Calif. “It’s misdiagnosed frequently.”
Other common culprits include trigger finger, arthritis, joint inflammation and tendinitis in different places around the wrist.
CTS has very specific symptoms: If your hand feels tingly or if you’re experiencing numbness in the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers, chances are you have a pinched median nerve that commonly afflicts people who perform repetitive tasks with their hands.
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Pool Pros: Here’s How to Get a Grip on Hand and Wrist Pain
You work with your hands for a living. Don’t let repetitive stress injuries force you into early retirement.
There are ways to treat it. Often we sleep curled up, our fists clenched. Wearing a splint at night can alleviate pressure on the nerve. Frequent icing and anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen or Aleve can help. You might also consider a cortisone injection, which Dr. Knight says is “highly curative.” Barring that, surgery likely is your only option. And that might only be a temporary fix.
“If it comes back again, then honestly, they have to find a different line of work,” Dr. Knight cautions.
As the old adage goes: Prevention is the best medicine. This is true of all musculoskeletal disorders, such as arthritis. Stay limber on the job. Take a moment between pools to stretch. Bend your wrists up and down for a five-second count; rotate the forearm with palms facing up, then down.
And at the end of the day, give your hands a break. They’ve earned it.
