Can Typing Cause Carpal Tunnel?

There’s little like the shooting pain and disabling numbness of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially when you’re attempting to work at your computer. It’s relatively common, affecting nearly 3% of the population, and can make it difficult to go about your daily life and work routine—especially if that work involves repetitive motions, like typing—with ease. 

Our skilled team at Northland Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri, has vast experience in diagnosing and treating carpal tunnel syndrome. Read on to learn more about this condition, as well as the role typing might play in your symptoms.

Carpal tunnel 101

Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when a ligament in our arm thickens and causes pressure on the median nerve—a sizable nerve that passes down your arm to your hand. Without treatment, the pressure tends to increase over time, causing symptoms that gradually intensify.

Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:

• Aching in your wrist that worsens when you use your hands a lot
• Aching that spreads up your arm
• Chronic pain in your hand and wrist
• Difficulty gripping objects or opening jars
• Nighttime pain that interferes with sleep
• Numbness or weakness in your hand or wrist

If you ignore these symptoms, they can become so severe that holding or carrying objects becomes difficult and writing or typing becomes impossible.

Carpal tunnel and typing

Many factors may increase your risk for developing carpal tunnel. Having nerve damage or an inflammatory condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis, for example, make the condition more likely. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also more common among the female sex, obese individuals, and people who work with vibrating tools. Typing frequently or at length won’t cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Once you have it, though, the repetitive motion of your hands and wrists could worsen flare ups. 

Carpal tunnel treatment 

Thankfully, carpal tunnel syndrome is very treatable. And the earlier treatment starts, the less invasive treatment will be necessary. Depending on the severity of your condition, your treatment plan may include:

• Use of a wrist splint
• Physical therapy
• Ice therapy
• Steroid injections
• Surgery, in severe cases 

In many cases, a wrist splint worn at night takes care of symptoms within a matter of days. While you may need to take a break from typing until your symptoms improve, proper care measures can get you back to your computer as usual before long.

To find out if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or begin effective treatment, call Northland Orthopedic & Sports Medicine or request an appointment on our website. Our experts would love to help you find your way to less pain.