Your hands and wrists are made up of carpals, which are the tiny bones. In the carpal tunnel, nerves, tendons responsible for the control of the hand, and a cytoskeletal structure exist. When you bend your wrist or have inflammation, the size of the tunnel is smaller.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome takes time to become a problem. When the size of the tunnel is reduced, the nerves receive extra pressure and become smaller, as well. Without treatment, your hands and wrists could suffer irreversible damage. When you feel pain after doing any sort of recurring motion, your body is warning you of possible damage. Try the following tips to reduce the risk of carpal tunnel.

• Take breaks often - If you work in an office where constant typing, or other activities requiring your hands, is necessary, take about a five minute break every hour. Your wrists need rest in order to keep from becoming inflamed.

• Monitor your sleep - Be sure you are not sleeping with your hands in an awkward position. This could cause you to apply a large amount of pressure and cause your hand to tingle or become numb when you wake up. This, along with other situations could speed up carpal tunnel.

• Always check out a wrist injury - When injuring the wrist, it is important to make sure there is no nerve damage. Visit a doctor. When bones are broken, it is imperative that they are set correctly, to avoid irritating the nerves. There are many activities that could result in the injury of your hands and wrist.

• Take notice of bodily changes - Pregnancy could be a cause because of the swelling of cells, which applies added pressure to the nerves. Also, ganglionic cysts may irritate the nerves.

• Protect yourself - If you are required to most your wrist a lot, wear a brace. A brace helps to keep everything properly aligned. In your office, request that you be provided with ergonomic equipment such as keyboards and chairs. It is important to take care of carpal tunnel before it begins.