Do You Have Arthritis or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

If you are experiencing pain in one or both of your hands, you might be wondering if arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome are provoking your pain. While both ailments can induce pain, there are several fundamental differences between them both. Carpal tunnel syndrome can generate tingling, weakness, or numbness in your hand. Arthritis can also provoke pain and make it hard to hold things, but for entirely different causes. Carpal tunnel syndrome is compelled by nerve compaction, and arthritis is generated by inflammation and deterioration of the joint.

Carpal tunnel versus arthritis

If you have ever experienced a hand or leg going to sleep because of pressure that temporarily blocks off your blood supply, you can get a notion of what carpal tunnel syndrome can feel like. The tingling, prickly, burning feeling can be comparable to the numbness caused by compressing your median nerve that runs in a narrow tunnel-like structure constructed by the bones and connective tissues from your elbow to your hand. Your tendons and median nerve let the fingers of your hand flex and extend.

Your median nerve carries impulses to and from the palm side of your hand to your index, middle, ring fingers, and thumb. If the tissues of your tunnel are aggravated (often by strain induced by repetitive movements like typing), they can swell and put pressure on your median nerve.

Arthritis of your hand, nonetheless, is generated by a separate mechanism, often showing up with a clear pattern in how it attacks your joints. In the case of arthritis, your joint's lining (synovium) becomes inflamed. This can happen because of osteoarthritis (also dubbed wear and tear arthritis) or other inflammatory processes provoked by a weakness in your immune response, in which your body attacks otherwise healthy tissue. The signs of arthritis include immobility and soreness of your joints, which frequently begins with the smaller joints of your hands.

Therapies for carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis are also significantly different. Anti-inflammatory medicines can benefit both. Rest and bracing can also soothe carpal tunnel, but it is not typically useful with arthritis. Carpal tunnel syndrome can usually be eased by surgery. Aside from partial and joint replacement, surgery is not commonly regarded as a common treatment for arthritis. Treatment for arthritis usually incorporates medicines, exercise, and rehabilitation. Carpal tunnel treatment might include rest, anti-inflammatory medicines, surgery, exercise, and rehab.

If you or a loved one suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome or any type of arthritis, or you would appreciate more data about therapies for carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis, or to schedule an appointment, please contact us today. And if surgery is your best option for recovery, our orthopedic surgeon in Debary is here to help. We have the experience and expertise to help you find the best course of treatment for your orthopedic or sports medicine concerns. Visit our homepage for more information on the services we offer and our outstanding providers. We are here to help!