Wha now?

just had a nerve conduction study done due to nightly numbness in my arms when I sleep. The diagnosis was for carpal tunnel in both arms. YIKES! WHAT NOW? The doctor suggested wearing splints on my wrists and elbows. You've got to be kidding?
I aslo have a snap/pop in my armpits frequently when doing anything that combines manual dexterity and some effort of movement. The doctor couldn't diagnose this. Anybody have any idea? It has also been getting much more frequent lately.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Treatment for Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is usually by splints and steroid injections. Surgery may be required in some cases. This condition is common in those who use the key board, mouse etc a lot—like in computers or in typing jobs. The carpal tunnel (at your wrist through which the median nerve passes) changes its size depending on the position of the wrist. It’s widest when wrist and hand are straight in line. When the hand is bent up or down, the tunnel becomes slightly smaller. This then presses on the nerve which then causes a pain right up to the arm. Often proper working style, working without bending wrist, using smooth movements to operate the mouse and key pad, and relaxing the joints of finger, wrist and arm in between helps.

The clicking of the shoulder joints could be due to laxity of ligaments or due to other causes like a bony spur. Only a thorough examination and investigations can help diagnose this.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.