Staying Open-Minded About Your Healthcare

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I didn't know what I was going to do. After the devastation subsided, I decided to take a very standard, western approach to my healing. Although initial efforts were successful, my cancer recurred a few months later. I endured many additional months of treatment before I started focusing on myself. I decided it was time to incorporate complimentary alternative treatments into my healing regimen, including massage therapy. I can't even begin to tell you how much it changed my life. My healing became a process, instead of something I simply had to endure. I hope that the articles on my website can inspire you to stay open-minded about your own healthcare.

Could A Neurologist Help With Your Carpal Tunnel Symptoms?

Health & Medical Blog

If you find yourself dealing with numbness, tingling, or burning in your hands and wrists whenever you spend too much time working your fingers (or lifting heavy objects), you may wonder what you can do to minimize the impact these carpal tunnel symptoms have on your daily life. Because carpal tunnel is an issue with your nerves, not your bones, an orthopedic surgeon may not be the answer; at the same time, you might be reluctant to commit to taking daily painkillers for the rest of your life in order to function without carpal tunnel pain. Fortunately, in many causes a neurologist should be able to bring you some relief. Read on to learn more about the services that can eliminate your carpal tunnel pain for good.

How can a neurologist help with your carpal tunnel symptoms? 

Carpal tunnel is generally caused by compression of the median nerve by the delicate surrounding bones and tendons. Because the median nerve is about the same size and texture as a piece of boiled spaghetti, it is especially vulnerable to small changes in the bone structure or fluid balance within the bone that can cause nerve compression. Repetitive motion of the wrist or hands, like washing windows or typing at a computer, can exacerbate your carpal tunnel symptoms and sometimes even require surgical intervention.  

A neurologist is a type of specialist who deals in issues affecting the nervous system—ideal for the treatment of one of the most common problems with the nervous system. Your neurologist may make his or her official diagnosis by performing an electromyogram (EMG), which can detect the misfiring of signals from your central nervous system to the nerves in your hands and wrists. He or she may perform other neurological tests to assess the function in your wrists before recommending a treatment path. 

What carpal tunnel treatment options can bring you the most relief over the long term?

The right treatment for carpal tunnel largely depends upon its cause. If you're pregnant, the increase in fluid volume in your body can compress your nerves, leading to carpal tunnel symptoms -- however, these almost always subside after birth when fluid levels have dropped. In this situation, having surgery during your pregnancy to treat your carpal tunnel isn't a good decision as it's likely the problem will resolve itself before your child is more than a few weeks old.

In other cases, surgery to relieve the pressure on your pinched or compressed nerves may be your best choice for the long term. While other treatments can bring temporary relief, having the scar tissue and other blockages literally stripped away from the nerve should completely remove any source of pain or numbness. For more information, contact companies like Billings Clinic. 

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6 September 2016