With many people now working entirely on computers, making a carpal tunnel claim is something that is becoming increasingly common. Both carpal tunnel syndrome and any form of repetitive strain injury can be unpleasant and painful to deal with on a day-to-day basis and getting the right support can be very beneficial.
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that can cause tingling, numbness and pain in the hands and the arms. This is often because the median nerve – a major nerve in the wrist that leads to the hand – being compressed inside the wrist.
The syndrome can generally get worse over time, so it is important that you address your symptoms as soon as you notice them, so you can receive the right treatment. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Tingling or pins and needles
- Numbness in the fingers or in the whole hand
- Weakness in the thumb and difficulty gripping
- Aching in the fingers, hands or arms
The symptoms in sufferers can often get worse at night because a lot of people tend to sleep with their wrists bent.
How can you avoid developing carpal tunnel syndrome?
One of the most important ways to avoid developing carpal tunnel syndrome is by having certain preventative working habits. Employers are obliged to provide a good working environment that include duty-of-care guidelines towards their employees. These requirements are:
- Ensuring a safe working environment free of avoidable hazards.
- Providing communication channels for employees to raise any safety concerns that they may have.
- Providing areas in which workers can rest.
- Clearly defining how a job should be correctly carried out and undertaking risk assessments.
If an employer has not successfully carried out all of these requirements, it may be possible to use personal injury solicitors to start a compensation claim against them for your injury.
Repetitive Strain Injury
As well as carpal tunnel syndrome, you may also be at risk of repetitive strain injury if you are working in substandard workplace conditions.
Repetitive strain injury is an injury that can happen when you repeatedly overuse a particular set of muscles, nerves or tendons. Repetitive strain injuries can tend to occur most often in the upper limbs and in the forearms. Repetitive strain injury compensation can be vital to claim to help sufferers deal with any potential symptoms. These symptoms can include:
- Extreme tiredness or lack of strength.
- A burning, aching or shooting pain.
- Tremors, clumsiness and numbness.
- Weakness in the hand or in the forearms. This makes it difficult to even perform simple tasks.
- Severely cold hands, particularly in the fingertips.
- Difficulty with normal activities that involve having to grip things.
Some of the earliest signs of repetitive strain injury can include soreness, tingling or pain in the neck, arms, wrists, fingers or shoulders. The symptoms might be worse when you carry out a particularly repetitive task.
To avoid both repetitive strain injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome, it is important to take preventative measures in your workplace. Using the correct equipment and taking the right amount of breaks can help you avoid life-long pain.
