Table of contents:
- What is Guyon syndrome?
- Causes of Guyon syndrome
- 1. Repetitive movements of the wrist
- 2. External pressure
- 3. Tumor
- Guyon syndrome features and symptoms
- Sensory disturbances
- Weakened muscles
- Claw hand (curly fingers)
- How to deal with Guyon syndrome?
Often feeling pain or tingling in the limbs sounds trivial and is not a serious matter to some people. Usually tingling occurs because a certain part of the body is pressed or weighed down for a long time. However, frequent tingling accompanied by pain in the little finger and part of the ring finger can also be a symptom of the disease. The disease commonly characterized by these symptoms is known as Guyon's syndrome.
What is Guyon syndrome?
Guyon syndrome has another nameulnar tunnel syndrome and handlebar palsy. As the name suggests, this disorder is a result of pinching the ulnar nerve in part of the ring finger and little finger. Guyon syndrome is more at risk in people who do repetitive work using hand and wrist strength.
Causes of Guyon syndrome
There are several reasons for the clamping of the ulnar nerve. To find out what the exact cause of the syndrome you are experiencing, check with your doctor immediately. Some of the possible causes are:
1. Repetitive movements of the wrist
Activities or jobs that require active use of the wrist risk putting pressure on the ulnar nerve. Examples of these activities include grinding spices, operating certain tools, and using computers excessively.
If you have these risk factors, it's a good idea to rest your wrist every certain amount of time. While sleeping, also try not to put your head on top or rest on your wrist.
2. External pressure
Pressure from outside the human body is also associated with certain activities and jobs that are continuous so that it presses the area of the ulnar nerve travel and causes various symptoms of this syndrome.
3. Tumor
Tumors can grow in the area around the ulnar nerve in the wrist. Tumors that often appear in the area include ganglion (tumor in the joints), lipoma (fat tissue tumor), neuroma (nerve tissue tumor), and others. If the size gets bigger, the tumor will press on the ulnar nerve.
Guyon syndrome features and symptoms
Sensory disturbances
Phenomena that include sensory disturbances include tingling, numbness, or pain in the ulnar nerve area, namely the little finger and half of the ring finger.
Weakened muscles
Apart from sensory disturbances, Guyon's syndrome can also cause the muscles in the area to become weak so that the little finger becomes difficult to move.
Claw hand (curly fingers)
Due to the muscle weakness, in the next stage the patient's hand can look like a claw (claw) because the little finger and ring finger are in a bent position. Some people also refer to this symptom as curly fingers.
How to deal with Guyon syndrome?
In general, this syndrome can be treated with preventive measures to surgery in serious cases. The following covers conservative and operative measures.
- Minimizing risk factors
- Reduce first any movements or activities that can trigger a recurrence of pain or tingling
- Medicines, such as pain relievers that your doctor prescribes
- Operation
Surgical procedures are the last option when normal healing methods fail or it is confirmed that a tumor is present in the area.
