Numb Hands, Numb Fingers, Feeling Weak When Grasping Something – Be Careful!
Another common problem found in today’s lifestyle is “thickening of the wrist ligament pressing on the nerve” or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This causes the ligament in the wrist to thicken, resulting in numbness in the hand and fingers. The fingers most commonly affected are the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and ring finger. Additionally, there is severe numbness pain at night, hand weakness, making it difficult to grasp objects. Hand movements and functions are not normal, and in severe cases, muscle atrophy in the hand may occur.
Frequent Repetitive Hand Use Causes Thickening of the Ligament
Thickening of the wrist ligament pressing on the nerve is often found in people who frequently use their wrists in gripping, extending, moving up and down, or twisting motions repeatedly. Examples include housekeepers, chefs, gamers who use a mouse constantly, office workers who type regularly, writers, motorbike drivers, technicians, farmers, or even general individuals who like to play on their phones or computers for long periods. Anyone who frequently uses their hands repetitively in the mentioned postures is at risk of developing thickened wrist ligaments pressing on the nerve.
Systematic Screening for Targeted Treatment
Diagnosis by doctors involves taking medical history, physical examination, and additional tests to differentiate the disease stage. This can be done with electrodiagnostic testing (Electrodiagnosis). The disease stages can be divided into 3 levels: 1. Mild, 2. Moderate, and 3. Severe. The first two levels can be screened and confirmed with EMG, but in the severe third level, confirmation can be done with EMG or physical examination by a doctor. Most patients in this stage show clear symptoms such as muscle atrophy in the hand and poor grasping ability due to weakness.
Treatment Approaches
There are 2 treatment approaches: medication and surgery
- Medication is used in cases where the ligament thickening is in stages 1 and 2. Doctors will prescribe medication and adjust the dosage according to individual needs, combined with resting the hand and wearing wrist support devices. Treatment with this method usually takes about 3-6 months.
- Surgery is chosen based on individual suitability, such as when medication treatment does not improve symptoms, in severe cases with muscle atrophy in the hand, or when patients cannot tolerate medication side effects, which often cause drowsiness. Some patients opt for surgery due to intolerance to medication side effects.
Surgical Methods
- Open carpal tunnel release surgery involves making an incision about 2-3 centimeters long to directly visualize the nerve during surgery. The incision is located on the palm to the wrist in a vertical orientation. After surgery, initial wrist use may cause pain at the incision site, and most patients need to rest their hand for about 2 months before returning to normal hand function.
- Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release (ECTR) involves a smaller incision of about 1 centimeter, horizontally located at the wrist. After surgery, the scar is less noticeable as it blends with the surrounding skin. This method is often chosen for patients who want to operate on both wrists simultaneously and can be used for all three stages of the disease, but it is not recommended for severe cases with muscle atrophy. Post-surgery, patients experience less pain than with open surgery, allowing faster wrist use, and most return to normal hand function within one month. This endoscopic method is very suitable for the lifestyle of working people in today’s society.
The main cause of thickened wrist ligaments is hand overuse. Therefore, to help prevent and reduce the risk of this condition, everyone should reduce hand use, adjust hand posture appropriately, occasionally soak hands in warm water to relax, and most importantly, if any abnormal symptoms occur in the hands, promptly seek treatment from a hand surgery specialist to ensure your hands, which create many things in your life, receive proper care from expert doctors.
Dr. Nuchnan Sompornpanich
Muscle, Bone, and Joint Center, Phyathai 3 Hospital, 1st Floor
Tel. 02-467-1111 ext. 3112
Inquiries or appointments via Line OA@pt3smartjoint
