Is It Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Or Arthritis?
Do you have carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis? These are two diseases that people tend to confuse. The first is a compression of the median nerve of the hand, while the second is a localized inflammation in the joints, with severe pain and swelling.
There are certainly similarities between the two diseases, especially when it comes to treatment. Today’s article will describe their symptoms, causes and possible treatments.
Is it carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis?
Carpal tunnel syndrome
The symptoms of this condition are the result of compression of the median nerve that passes through the wrist. From an anatomical point of view, the nerve crosses a tube: the walls are made up of bones and ligaments, called the “carpal tunnel”.
Under the influence of certain conditions that we will mention below, the free space inside the tunnel can decrease and affect the median nerve. This nerve has a function that triggers a set of nerve impulses that lead to abnormal sensations, such as tingling and weakness.
It usually occurs in people who do repetitive manual labor, so medicine considers it an occupational disease. Some recently published studies have found the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome to be 4.2 cases per 100,000 workers.
As the name suggests, arthritis is an inflammatory process of the joints. There are dozens of types, each with its own risk factors and treatments.
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common. It is a chronic inflammatory disease of an autoimmune nature. The body identifies the joint tissue as “foreign” and gradually destroys it. Immune system cells and proteins are a vital part of this process.
This disease is more common in women and the average age of diagnosis is about 40 years. The EPISER study stands out among the many studies conducted and indicates the prevalence of the disease as 0.5%.
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis
The median nerve is sensitive, and the symptoms resulting from its compression correspond to abnormal sensations. However, pain is not a common part of the condition.
Affected people complain of progressive tingling or numbness. The affected area varies from the wrist to the ring finger and thumb.
These symptoms, together with the characteristic weakness, can lead to great difficulties in carrying out daily activities, including those outside the work environment. This includes driving a car, cooking, washing and writing.
Some types of arthritis are associated with joint stiffness, especially in the early hours of the morning. A resemblance to carpal tunnel syndrome is the difficulty of performing daily activities. This usually occurs due to intense pain.
Untreated patients with rheumatoid arthritis end up with complex joint deformities that significantly limit their quality of life. Deformation of the fingers is the most common.
Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis
Arthritis is a consequence of genetic and environmental factors. People with a family history of rheumatoid arthritis are more prone to the disease, for example. The same is true for those who smoke or have had infections in childhood.
Carpal tunnel syndrome has many associated risk factors, many of which are exacerbated by certain work environments. Female gender, chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, regular writing and certain anatomical factors are the most relevant.
You may not know this, but arthritis can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. As mentioned earlier, one of the complications of this disease is joint and bone deformities caused by inflammatory reactions.
When this happens around the carpal tunnel, the probability of narrowing and compressing the median nerve increases. As a result, symptoms corresponding to both diseases will appear.
Carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis: treatments
The purpose of medical treatment in both cases is to reduce the symptoms and associated inflammation. However, the root cause persists. In the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, there are surgeries that can permanently resolve the clinical picture. We’ll tell you everything below.
At first, in mild cases, your doctor may suggest basic measures to reduce symptoms. These include the application of cold compresses and rest.
However, it may be necessary to immobilize the joints involved and initiate pharmacological treatment. The latter consists of the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids.
Finally, there are surgical options aimed at decompressing the nerves. The operation is performed by a surgeon and can be performed endoscopically.
Some of the drugs used in carpal tunnel syndrome may also be useful in cases of arthritis. This is the case with NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen) and corticosteroids. People with rheumatoid arthritis may benefit from anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
DMARDs are also used in other diseases, especially ankylosing spondylitis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Methotrexate is a fairly representative example.
