科技時代職業病腕管症Technology times occupational carpal tunnel syndrome

科技時代職業病腕管症 美國人在開始工作的第一年，如果每星期需要用電腦工作至少15小時，有一半以上的人會因此導致肌肉骨骼異常的問題，全國每年勞動生產力損失額在610億美元之譜，雇主每年在這方面付出的醫藥福利高達200億美元。而在這些肌肉骨骼的病變中，最普遍的是腕管症候群，超過500萬人深受其苦。 腕管症候群是手腕長期重複同一個動作而產生的勞損，是屬於肌肉骨骼重複性壓力傷害的一種。在目前的電腦時代中，每天可能至少要花二、三個小時盯著電腦看，手指還要在鍵盤上不停的敲打，有些職業更是需要從早到晚重複這種相同的動作，久而久之，如果忽略早期的症狀，不予治療，有可能發展成手腕持續的劇痛，甚至無法運作，任何需要勞動手指的簡單動作都無法進行，諸如繫鞋帶、拉拉鏈、扣紐扣、簽支票，都會產生難以忍受的尖銳疼痛，嚴重影響生活。 就像所有的肌肉骨骼重複性壓力傷害一樣，當手指每天都要持續操作同一個動作，連接手指肌肉和腕部骨骼(即腕管)的肌腱就會過勞，隨之發炎，使韌帶開始發腫，腕管也連帶受到擠壓。在腕管中控制手腕運動功能的正中神經在長期擠壓的情形下，會使人覺得手腕疼痛、痲痺無力，最後則形成腕管症。 不是只有經常操作電腦的人會罹患腕管症，任何持續使用手指和手腕的活動都可能導致這種肌骨傷害。在19世紀歐洲工業革命時期，英國醫生發現許多工廠工人因手腕劇痛而無法工作，這些工人整天站在同一地點，只用手指操作。 鋼琴家、簿記人員、超市收銀員都是腕管症的風險群，而且任何需要使用手指和手腕的嗜好或運動，諸如織毛線、打手球、或使用釘鎚等，都有可能發生這個問題。而且，有些免疫系統功能不良的病變，也可能促使腕管症的發生或惡化，例如類風溼性關節炎，環繞在神經周圍的組織受到刺激腫脹而壓迫手部正中神經。糖尿病患者或接受腎臟透析者，可能使神經受到刺激。另外，甲狀腺機能減退而造成的水分滯留，也會使正中神經周圍組織充血而受到壓迫。這些都是造成腕管症的原因，但腕管症成為家喻戶曉的毛病，則是1980年代大批勞動力開始使用電腦以後的事。 以性別而言，婦女罹患腕管症的機率比男性大約高出3倍，婦女因經期、懷孕、和更年期產生的賀爾蒙分泌狀況的起伏變化，使她們手腕組織較易腫脹。孕婦如出現腕管症的症狀，通常會隨胎兒的成長而加劇，但產後會好轉，逐漸恢復正常。 瞭解腕管症的初期症狀非常重要，這能使人及早採取補救措施，以免使病情惡化。在早期階段，患者會感到手指有輕微的麻木、灼熱和刺痛的情形，大姆指乏力。開始時，這種異樣的感覺時斷時續，加上狀況並不嚴重，使許多人因而掉以輕心，照樣猛敲電腦鍵盤，這會使痛楚越來越嚴重，持續的時間也越長，最後到達難以忍受的程度。 腕管症患者在夜晚尤其會感到手部疼痛不堪，因而使睡眠品質惡化，甚至失眠。痛楚的感覺有時會向上延伸到手臂。 這種職業病雖然使人吃苦頭，但一般不會有嚴重後果，經過治療後通常會消痛，而不會造成手腕的長期傷害，然而也有少數永久性損傷的病例中，患者不能再使用電腦鍵盤。有些腕管症的症狀只發生在主要使用的手上，但由於電腦鍵盤是由雙手操作，許多人兩隻手會發生問題。 平時，如果發現手指刺麻，可以用一個簡單的方法測驗自己是否患上了這種職業病，先把雙手放在胸前，然後把手肘向左右外側平舉，接著讓十指朝下，手背相貼，並且互相按壓。如果在按壓一分鐘後有發麻、灼熱和刺痛的症狀，就可能罹患腕管症，應即刻問醫。 2008-10-06 Technology times occupational carpal tunnel syndrome Americans in the first year of work, if needed a week of computer use at least 15 hours, more than half of the people will lead to musculoskeletal abnormalities, the national labor productivity losses each year in the amount of 61,000,000,000 U.S. dollars of the spectrum, employers In this regard each year to pay the medical benefits of up to 20,000,000,000 U.S. dollars. In these musculoskeletal diseases, the most common is carpal tunnel syndrome, more than 5,000,000 people suffer. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a long-term wrist to repeat the same action arising from the strain, and musculoskeletal belong to a repetitive stress injury. In the current era of computers each day may have to spend at least two to three hours staring at a computer, but also in the fingers on the keyboard non-stop beating of some occupations are more needed from morning to repeat this same action, As time goes by, if ignored the early symptoms of untreated, may develop into a persistent wrist pain, or even not work, any work needed a simple finger movement can not be carried out, such as Ji Xiedai, zipper pull, hold button, To sign checks, will have an unbearable sharp pain, a serious impact on life. Like all of the musculoskeletal repetitive stress injury, sustained when the finger every day to operate the same action, linking fingers and wrist bones muscles (that is, carpal tunnel) will be the tendon fatigue and inflammation of the attendant, so that the ligament Started swelling and carpal tunnel has also been associated squeeze. In the carpal tunnel in the wrist to control motor function of the median nerve in the case of long-term squeeze, people will feel that the wrist pain, paralysis can not, then the final formation of carpal tunnel syndrome. Is not only the regular operation of the computer will suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, the use of any sustained wrists and fingers of activities that can lead to musculoskeletal injuries. In 19th century Europe during the Industrial Revolution, the British doctor found that many factory workers as a result of wrist pain and unable to work, these workers stand in the same place all day long, just a finger operation. Pianist, book-keeping staff, supermarket cashiers are carpal tunnel syndrome risk group, and no need to use the finger and wrist movement, or hobbies, such as knitting, playing handball, or hammer, and so on, can happen on this issue . Moreover, some of the dysfunction of the immune system disease, may also promote the occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome or deterioration, such as rheumatoid arthritis, around the nerve in the surrounding tissue swelling and to stimulate the median nerve compression hand. Patients with diabetes or renal dialysis, may be to stimulate the nerve. In addition, hypothyroidism caused by water retention, will also be organized around the median nerve and congestive heart to be suppressed. These are caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, but carpal tunnel syndrome has become well-known problem, it is a significant workforce in the 1980s after the beginning of the use of computers. Gender, women suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome than men about the risk of higher than 3 times as a result of women's menstruation, pregnancy, menopause and hormone secretion produced by the state of their ups and downs, their organizations more easily swollen wrist. In case of pregnant women, the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, usually with fetal growth and increased, but the post will get better, gradually returning to normal. Carpal tunnel syndrome to understand the importance of early symptoms, which will enable people to take remedial measures as soon as possible so as not to worsen their condition. In the early stages, patients may feel a slight numbness in the fingers, burning and tingling of the case, weak thumb. At the beginning of this strange feeling intermittent, and the situation is not serious, so many people take it lightly, Meng Qiao same computer keyboard, which will become more and more serious pain, and also the duration of the longer, difficult to reach final To put up with. Patients with carpal tunnel at night in particular, will feel pain in the hand over, making the deterioration of the quality of sleep, or even insomnia. The feeling of pain sometimes up to an extension of the arm. Although the diseases that people suffer, but generally will not have serious consequences, and will always be treated eliminate pain without causing long-term wrist injury, but a small number of cases of permanent injury, the patient can no longer use a computer keyboard . Some of the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome only in the main use of the hands of, but because of a computer keyboard is operated by the hands, many hands will be a problem. Usually, if the finger was found stabbed Ma, can be a simple way to test if they are suffering from this disease, the first hands on their chests, and then the elbow to the left-lateral move, and then let down Ten, with the back Paste, and push each other. If you push in one minute after numb, burning and irritation symptoms may suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, doctors should be asked immediately. 2008-10-06 View more information, see the World Journal reported that e-ePaper

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