The tingling sensation plus the numbness that you experience on your arms and hands after several years of working with a computer are signs that you have developed carpal tunnel syndrome.
This annoying feeling may be due to a squeezed median nerve on your hand. This nerve goes through a narrow passageway which when compressed results to this particular condition.
Symptoms would appear slowly and not easily detected so it is quite tricky. If this happens, you need to use some actions that can help prevent a worst scenario like having to undergo surgery.
Although there may be other causes for this medical condition, there are no proven ways to avoid this from progressing. Nevertheless, it won’t hurt if you start using some simple techniques that can help correct it early on.
5 Steps to Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Watch your Posture You may notice that you have already slouched from your usual correct sitting posture by the time you get done with your computer tasks. Aligned with this is the fact that your wrists and hands may have been immobile for quite some time. Performing repetitive actions like doing data entry tasks restricts upper limb movements. Controlled movements cause pain and help the condition to develop. To lessen the muscle strain, loosen on the grip whether you are typing on a keyboard or holding a pen.
- Take a Break
Taking breaks in between a busy day in front of your computer can help prevent painful bouts or developing the condition. Short breaks taken from time to time will not affect your production level but forgetting to stretch your arms, hands, and wrists will lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Exercise your Wrists and Hands This preventative measure won’t hurt you. Simply moving your wrists from right to left and shaking your hands from time to time can help alleviate the numbness or any sensation you might feel on any given time. These actions can reduce stressed out limbs and helps deter the debilitating condition from further recurring.
- Engage in Strength Building While simple exercises help you from being into this painful condition, strengthening your joints can add up to your goal. Work with weights or engage in yoga exercises to help you build stronger muscles to allow for more flexible wrists, hands, fingers and arms as a whole.
- Protect Yourself from a Cold Environment You can do this by wearing open-finger gloves. Remember that the fingertips may not suffer so much in a room with very low temperature. You can also rub your hands once in a while to keep it warm.