Have you been suffering from sudden or involuntary hand movements and shaking? If so, it may be a sign of a writer’s cramp. Does the said condition ring a bell? According to a hand doctor in Singapore, the writer’s cramp happens due to focal dystonia, which is a neurological movement disorder. Your brain sends loads of information to your muscles, affecting your hands, producing involuntary finger movements, contracting your muscles, and causing your forearm to form or twist in odd positions. Writer’s cramp occurs due to excessive use of musical instruments, typing on your keyboard, gardening, painting, sculpting, or sewing. Writer’s cramp or focal hand dystonia (FHD) is also known as musician’s cramp, arm or finger dystonia, task-specific dystonia, the yips, or occupational cramps.
If you are a writer, that means your hands are your way of making a living. A hand specialist in Singapore can be your saviour! To discover more about writer’s cramps, read below.
THE TYPES OF WRITER’S CRAMP
SIMPLE.
This type of writer’s cramp often occurs for people writing with pens or pencils. If you are experiencing difficulty writing, it may be a sign of a writer’s cramp. Simple writer’s cramp happens due to improper pen placement in or between your hands, poor hand and finger posture when writing, or too much hand pressure on the paper. If you encounter any hand pain or muscle spasms, seek a hand doctor in SingaporeASAP.
DYSTONIC.
This type of writer’s cramp can develop due to various activities, movements, and situations. This hand disorder is also known as scrivener’s palsy or mogigraphia. Your hands will experience difficulty holding utensils, applying makeup, buttoning your shirt, and other daily activities. Once any of these happen, it would be best to consult a hand specialist in Singapore.
THE SYMPTOMS OF WRITER’S CRAMP
Writer’s cramp does not only happen due to the wrong placement of pen or pencil or excessive typing on your keyboard. It can occur and develop if you frequently use your hands in specific activities. If you experience any of the following symptoms below, you must see a hand specialist in Singaporeright away.
- Muscle spasms
- Persistent pain in the entire hand, from the fingers to the wrist
- Tight grips of fingers on a pen, scissors, buttons, utensils, or anything
- Difficulty using or even moving your hands, especially the fingers
- Weakness in the hands and fingers
- Non-responsive movement of the fingers, hands, and arms
- Flexing of wrists
- Wrists and elbow moving in unusual angles
- Mild discomfort on your hands
Once you encounter one of the usual symptoms of writer’s cramp, visit a wrist specialist and clinic in Singapore to get an early diagnosis and treatment.
THE WAYS TO DIAGNOSE WRITER’S CRAMP
When you encounter any of the following symptoms mentioned above, a hand doctor in Singaporewill diagnose those signs by conducting a physical and neurological exam. They will check for signs of hand-related conditions, such as arthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, muscle cramps, or tendon and joint problems. They will also assess the following:
- Hand and body parts affected by the disorder
- Muscles involved by the hands
- Muscle spasms and hand posture characteristics
- How your muscles work while at rest
- How grave the case is
- Specific triggers of focal hand dystonia
THE RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS OF WRITER’S CRAMP
The problem with the writer’s cramp is that your brain is the primary source of its issues. When your brain sends incorrect signals to your muscles and nerves, it triggers your hands, resulting in involuntary hand movements and shaking. Again, if any of the mentioned symptoms appear, seek a hand specialist in Singaporeimmediately. If your hand disorder does not get treated ASAP, you may encounter the following complications:
- Persistent tremors of the hand
- Sudden shakes of your fingers
- Development of symptoms on your unaffected hand and may extend to your arms
- Focal dystonia in other parts of the body, affecting the eyes, neck, throat, and feet
Also, if you have a family member or a strong family history of hand-related conditions, have trauma or unstable mental health, or have exposure to the poison, the risks of writer’s cramp may increase. If you have any of the following, inform your hand doctor in Singapore.
THE TREATMENTS FOR WRITER’S CRAMP
Unfortunately, there is still no available cure for writer’s cramps even today. However, with a hand doctor in Singapore, you can seek some treatment options or various therapies to alleviate your symptoms and improve the quality of your hands. Here are some of them:
PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY.
With the help of multiple therapy sessions, you can adjust and learn how to hold a pencil or pen properly. A hand specialist in Singaporewill provide specially-made splints and other hand gears to help improve your writer’s cramp.
BOTULINUM NEUROTOXIN (BOTOX) INJECTIONS.
Botox injections may also lessen the symptoms of your writer’s cramp. This treatment option is best if your hands, wrist, and fingers are too flexible that it moves into odd positions.
ORAL MEDICATIONS.
Hand doctors will prescribe you some oral medications to reduce the trembling and relax your muscles. Some of the typical medicines are anticholinergic drugs, which can improve the functionality of your brain and its neurotransmitters.
SURGERY.
Surgery will only be necessary for severe cases or if all the symptoms of the writer’s cramp are present.
SENSORY MOTOR RETURNING THERAPY.
Sensory-motor returning therapy can also alleviate the tremors of your fingers and hands. A hand specialist in Singaporewill put some splints on your unaffected fingers to rehabilitate and improve the functionality of the affected fingers.
The Bottom Line
Using the same muscles, especially in your hands, over and over again during highly-skilled tasks can result in a writer’s cramp. As much as you avoid it, you can never stop using your hands. Your hands are active every time and everywhere. If you are a writer, your hands are your fundamental business tools. Take care of your hands by taking frequent breaks, exercising and stretching your hands, pampering your hands, and consulting a hand specialist in Singapore as regularly as possible.
If you need to consult a hand doctor in Singapore, Advanced Hand, Wrist, & Nerve Centre can provide treatments and information about hand, wrist, nerve, and trauma conditions. Schedule an appointment with Dr Jacqueline Tan today via info@aohc.sg or their website.
