Free Carpal Tunnel screening is Friday

Pain, numbness or tingling in one or both hands may be a sign of carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition that is estimated will affect as many as 6 percent of adults in the U.S. at some point in their lives.

King’s Daughters is offering a free carpal tunnel screening, beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, July 13 onboard King’s Daughters mobile health unit, at King’s Daughters Family Care Center, 8750 Ohio River Road, Wheelersburg.

Appointments are required and may be made by calling 1-888-377-KDMC (5362). After normal business hours, callers are asked to leave their name, daytime phone and the name of the screening they are calling about. A member of the King’s Daughters team will call back with their appointment time.

The screening consists of a brief review of symptoms and a screening nerve conduction test, which involves a low-level electrical stimulation of the nerves serving the hands. The nerves’ ability to conduct the stimulation is measured and the results reported as a number.

The exact cause of CTS isn’t known, but risk factors include having had a wrist fracture or dislocation; chronic diseases such as diabetes; pregnancy; menopause; obesity; thyroid disorders; and occupational factors. Women, possibly because of their smaller anatomical features, have a higher incidence of CTS.