The Better and Healthy You
painful condition know as carpel tunnel syndrome.
Carpel tunnel syndrome most commonly affects people who do the same movements with their hands continually. Those who more at risk include typists, carpenters, grocery packers and assembly line workers, people with hobbies such as gardening, needlework, golfing and canoeing are also more at risk of developing the syndrome. It has also been linked with illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis and thyroid disease and women in the last few months of pregnancy can develop it.
The first signs that indicate you might be suffering from carpel tunnel syndrome include
* Tingling or numbness felt in your hands and fingers, especially around the index, middle fingers and thumb.
* Pain in the palm of your hand, forearm or wrist
* The pain or numbness is worse at night than it is during the day
* The pain gets worse the more you use your hands
* You have trouble gripping things and drop them more often
* Your thumb feels particularly weak
Your doctor will perform an examination of your hand, fingers and wrist to help determine whether you have carpal tunnel syndrome and may include a nerve conduction test to help the diagnosis. If carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed, treatment will usually consist of you having to wear a splint, and give your wrist a rest and change the way you use your wrist. The splint can help to alleviate the pain felt, particularly at night. Massaging the area of pain and putting ice onto the area can all help, as can performing stretching exercises. With treatment it is a condition that will improve, but there are some things you can do to help prevent the onset of carpel tunnel syndrome.
Increasing your awareness of how you use your hands and equipment throughout the day can make a change
Centering your work directly in front of you, your forearms should be parallel to the floor or slightly lowered
If you stand up to work then have your work bench at waist height
Make sure your hands and wrists are in line with your forearms
If you work long hours at a keyboard then titling it can help
Use proper hand and wrist movements when using a mouse and trackball
Make sure you hold your elbows in close to your sides
Never rest of the heel of your hand or wrist especially if you have them bent at an angle
Make sure that you take a slight break every 20 minutes
Do some stretching or flexing exercises every 20 minutes
Living with arthritis
While arthritis is usually considered to be a condition that affects the older generation, it can affect people of any age. It can affect any part of the body and there are thought to be over 200 different forms of the disease. However, the three most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and juvenile arthritis.
People who are affected by arthritis can go through many different feelings ranging from anger, frustration, worries for the future and concern about dependency. For the younger person affected by the disease feelings such as how other people will see you is a main concern, while the disease can be debilitating and so not easy to be positive about the outlook, people do come to terms with the condition. In order to come to terms with the disease you can
Talk about your feelings and fears - getting your feelings out in the open is essential to coping with your illness. Talking can relive the feelings of anxiety and stress you feel about your condition and how others see you. Your confidant can be your doctor, a friend or family member or someone that is suffering from arthritis themselves.
Learn how to relax and de-stress - many people who suffer from arthritis get stressed easily and are unable to relax. You should learn routines that allow you to relax quickly and easily or find an activity or hobby that you could take part in to ease and forget your stress.
Seek help from a professional - if you don't feel you can talk to a family member or friend then seek help from a professional. This could be a counselor, doctor, social worker or your local citizen's advice.
One of the most debilitating aspects of arthritis is the persistent pain it brings to the sufferer. However sufferers do seem to manage to keep the pain under control to a level where it doesn't interfere too much with their day-to-day living. Here are some ways to help you deal with and manage the pain associated with arthritis.
Keep a note of the best time to take medication in order to get the best benefit
Notice when cold, heat and getting rest helps the most
See which form of exercise works best for you and when to do them
Keep practicing relaxation techniques
Take a pain management course
Purchase a device such as the TENS unit to help manage your pain
Consider hypnosis or acupuncture treatment
Attend pain clinics recommended by you Doctor.
These are just some of the ways that people have been known to successfully manage their arthritis and of course you should discuss ways to help you with your doctor. You doctor will also be able to advise you of clinics in your area that you can attend to learn how to deal more effectively with the disease and the pain that it brings.
Are you at risk from Alzheimer's?
There is no one single cause of Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's is brought on by varying factors with each person affected being different. However, the biggest two factors which increase the risk of you developing Alzheimer's are the advancement of a
