When you earn your living working on a California assembly line, you face an elevated risk of developing certain conditions, among them carpal tunnel syndrome. The term refers to a number of different issues that may arise when something squeezes a nerve within your wrist, and many people who suffer from it experience numbness, tingling, weakness or pain in their hands or wrists.
Per Medline Plus, you may have other risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome, in addition to your work on an assembly line.
Risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome
It is rare for children to develop carpal tunnel syndrome, and he vast majority of cases involve adults. You face a heightened risk of developing carpal tunnel as a female and as someone who performs the same repetitive movements again and again throughout the day. You are also more at risk of developing carpal tunnel if you have an existing wrist injury or health condition, or have an immediate relative, such as a parent or sibling, who also has carpal tunnel.
Symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome
Many people with carpal tunnel find that their symptoms are mild or moderate at first, but then progress and become more severe. Common signs of carpal tunnel include weakness, numbness or pain in your fingers, thumbs or hands, and this is most likely to affect your dominant hand, which is the one you use to write. As your condition worsens, you may find that you struggle to hang on to items, or that your fingers feel swollen even if they are not.
How your doctor treats your carpal tunnel may vary based on the severity of your condition. In some cases, using wrist splints or over-the-counter pain medications may suffice. In more severe cases, you may wind up needing surgery.