Definition
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disorder that affects the wrist and hand. More precisely, it is a neuropathy that affects the median nerve at the wrist.
It is a widespread disease and occurs with a higher incidence in women between 30 and 50 years of age.
Causes
Carpal tunnel syndrome triggers when the median nerve undergoes a compression (called "nerve compression") at the carpal tunnel level. This compression causes the aforementioned nerve to lose part of its motor and sensory functions.
At the base of this nerve compression there are several factors that can contribute to each other to favor its onset. These factors are: the anatomy of the carpal tunnel of each individual (in fact, individuals with a narrow carpal tunnel are at greater risk of developing the disease), the sex of the patients (the syndrome is much more frequent in women), the possible presence of a family history of carpal tunnel syndrome, pregnancy, trauma, repeated solicitations due to work or hobbies and the presence of certain types of pathologies (such as, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, chronic water retention, kidney failure, gout and obesity).
Symptoms
Nerve compression generates pain and numbness and tingling in patients. These symptoms extend from the wrist to the palm of the hand to the fingers.
Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome may also experience other symptoms such as arm and forearm pain, hypoesthesia, paraesthesia, atrophy of the muscles that govern the thumb, swelling, altered pigmentation and dryness of the skin.
The symptoms triggered by carpal tunnel syndrome tend to worsen over time and intensify especially at night.
Information on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Drugs and Care is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Drugs and Care.
drugs
Where possible, the preferential treatment undertaken to treat carpal tunnel syndrome is conservative.
The doctor may advise patients to wear special wrist braces and may prescribe drug treatment based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and / or corticosteroid-based.
In the most serious cases, on the other hand, when the symptoms are severe, for a period of more than six months and considerably affecting the quality of life of the patients, then the intended treatment is the surgical one.
In the case in which the development of carpal tunnel syndrome is favored by pre-existing pathologies, it is necessary to first intervene on the primary cause, so as to also favor the recovery of the function of the median nerve.
NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to treat carpal tunnel syndrome to relieve symptoms. In fact, these medicines - in addition to being equipped with anti-inflammatory activity - also have a strong analgesic activity.
Among the different types of active ingredients that can be used, we recall:
- Ibuprofen (Brufen ®, Moment ®, Nurofen ®, Arfen ®, Actigrip fever and pain ®, Vicks fever and pain ®): ibuprofen is available in different pharmaceutical preparations. When used orally, a dose of 1, 200-1, 800 mg of drug should never be given daily. The exact amount of active ingredient to be taken must in any case be established by the doctor, depending on the degree of severity of the carpal tunnel and according to the intensity of the pain that afflicts each patient.
- Ketoprofen (Artrosilene ®, Orudis ®, Oki ®): the dose of ketoprofen usually administered orally is 150-200 mg per day, to be taken preferably after meals, in two or three divided doses. It is very important not to exceed the maximum daily dose of 200 mg of active ingredient.
- Naproxen (Momendol ®, Synflex ®, Xenar ®): the usual amount of naproxen is 500-1, 000 mg of drug per day, to be taken orally in divided doses every 12 hours.
- Acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin ®, Alkaeffer ®): when acetylsalicylic acid is administered orally, the dose of medication usually used in adult patients ranges from 325 mg to 1, 000 mg, to be taken 2-3 times a day. The exact dosage of medicine must be established by the doctor.
Corticosteroids
As mentioned, for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, your doctor may also prescribe corticosteroid therapy.
These drugs can be administered either orally or through local infiltration into the wrist. This latter practice, however, is extremely delicate and must be carried out only by specialized personnel and only under the direct supervision of the physician, since there is a risk of causing damage to the tendons.
However - due to the side effects they can cause - also the administration of oral corticosteroids must be carried out with caution and under the supervision of the doctor.
Furthermore, it should be remembered that treatment with corticosteroids should not be undertaken in patients who have diabetes or are prone to diabetes.
Among the active ingredients that can be used in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, we recall:
- Prednisone (Deltacortene ®): prednisone is a corticosteroid available for oral administration. The usual dose varies from 5 to 15 mg of drug per day.
The exact amount of prednisone to be taken must be established by the doctor according to the severity of the disease and according to the patient's response to the treatment.
- Methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrol ®): methylprednisolone, on the other hand, can be administered through local infiltrations in the wrist. It can be found in pharmaceutical formulations in association with lidocaine (a local anesthetic).
The dose of methylprednisolone usually used varies from 4 mg to 80 mg. The exact amount to be administered must be established by the doctor on an individual basis.
