Think about what you do with your hands on a regular day. Even if you don’t participate in intense physical activities, there are many things your hands do to get you through the day. For example, you use them to complete mundane tasks like writing, putting on clothes, or washing dishes. We use them to complete our work.
Experiencing any issues with your hands is more than an inconvenience. It could be crippling. Since we use our hands for personal and professional reasons, we should learn to look at how we can take care of them. If you want to get the most out of your hands and avoid problems down the line, you should look for a hand surgeon.
But sometimes, hand issues are unavoidable. Down the line, after your hands have gone through repeated strain and stresses, they might not work as well as they used to. You might be more prone to hand problems as you age. What are the hand problems that many people might experience?
Two of the most common hand problems you might encounter are carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger. What are these two and how do they affect your hands? See the differences between them.
Defining carpal tunnel and trigger finger
Carpal tunnel and trigger finger have the same root causes. You can develop both trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome if you frequently do repeated movements that strain your fingers, wrist, and other parts of your hands you might be more likely to develop these conditions.
But what exactly are carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger? Here is a closer look at these two hand conditions.
Carpal tunnel:
Carpal tunnel syndrome in Singapore, also known as median nerve compression, is a condition that can cause weakness in your hands. You can recognise it via a tingling or numbing sensation in the hands. It can be quite painful or uncomfortable if the condition progresses.
The condition happens because of pressure on the median nerve of your hand. The median nerve is a nerve that runs down the length of your arm and passes through a passageway called the carpal tunnel. When this nerve is pinched, this causes the trademark numbness of carpal tunnel syndrome.
The median nerve is responsible for controlling the movement of most of your fingers. You might know if you have carpal tunnel when you put pressure on your median nerve.
Trigger finger:
Ever feel that you couldn’t move the joints in your fingers? You could have a trigger finger, also known as stenosing tenosynovitis. A trigger finger is the name of a condition wherein one of your fingers gets locked into a bent position. Your tendons are encased in a sheath that protects them. When inflammation narrows the space between the protective sheath and this tendon, your joints become unable to move. You may have a permanently locked finger when you have these symptoms.
Trigger finger treatment in Singapore doesn’t usually need surgery. A doctor may recommend a splint or brace to treat it. You will need to do various exercises to work the muscles in your fingers.
Symptoms of carpal tunnel and trigger finger
How can you identify and differentiate between carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger? After all, they both have the same causes. They both need to be treated as they affect the performance of your hands.
However, some differences can help you identify your issues and talk to your hand surgeon more effectively. Here are some of the symptoms you need to watch out for if you have either carpal tunnel or trigger finger.
Carpal tunnel
1) You can feel burning, tingling, or numbing sensations in your fingers that don’t easily go away. This will appear in the palms of your hands, your thumbs, your index fingers, and your ring fingers. Additionally, it may feel like your hand has “fallen asleep” (tingles) when you wake up in the morning. This sensation may be felt up to your shoulder at times.
2) Your grip feels weak. You may have trouble holding onto things. In more extreme cases, you may find that you are unable to hold even the lightest of objects. At this point, you may be recommended for hand surgery in Singapore.
3) You feel shocks running through your fingertips. If you experience a sharp stinging sensation moving into your fingers, there’s a good chance you may have carpal tunnel syndrome.
Trigger finger
1) Your fingers feel way too stiff in the morning. Normal hands are flexible after rest and you should be able to stretch them with no problem. If you find that your joints pop painfully in the mornings, you might have a trigger finger.
2) One of your joints is bent at an angle and you cannot move it by itself. One of the biggest indicators of a trigger finger is the inability to move one’s finger. Trigger finger treatment in Singapore focuses on helping patients get their mobility back from their fingers.
3) You feel numb in your fingers. Your fingers are one of the most sensitive parts of your body, able to feel the most minute changes of pressure. If you find that you have trouble feeling your fingers, it may be a sign that you need to consult a hand doctor.
4) You possess less strength in the affected fingers, especially the thumb. We use our thumbs to grasp most objects. If you find that you suddenly cannot hold them, you may have a trigger finger. Check if you have a trigger finger by testing your grip strength.
Need more information on how to reach a female hand surgeon? Find resolutions to your hand problems when you reach out to Advanced Hand, Wrist, & Nerve Centre.
