Exploring What It Effectively Means to Manage Carpal Tunnel Syndrome’s
Physical, Social, and Emotional Crucibles in a Return to Work Program
by
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Through the participants’ recollections and stories, the employees with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome words helped to reveal and depict the essence and influence that the physical, psychological, psychosomatic, and sociological aspects of CTS have on each other and how they influence an employee’s day-to-day physical and psychological workplace activities. Findings in this study provided physical, psychological, psychosomatic, and sociological insight into the social existence and non-acceptance of this disease in the workplace. The core concepts that emerged from this study were consistent with present day literature surrounding this topic in both case studies and phenomenological studies. The six core concepts found in this study, (a) helplessness, (b) physical symptoms, (c) psychological symptoms, (d) physical and psychological symptoms, (e) loss of self-esteem, and (f) waiting for the inevitable provided insight into the psychological, psychosomatic, and sociological effects of CTS within the workplace.
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About the Book
The intended goal of my study was to provide insight and generate theories about how the physical, social, and emotional effects of carpal tunnel syndrome, affected an employees ability to complete their employer-sponsored Return to Work program when they have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
In order to do this, I utilized a constructivist grounded theory methodology that used Strauss and Corbin’s microanalysis techniques during the semi structured interviews and observations in order to focus my attention on how the participants acted and reacted during the interviews. Participants’ actions and reactions were used to generate open ended interview questions.
My study took place over a three-month time frame and consisted of consisted of 12 people (five men and seven women) from three separate companies in the United States of America. During this timeframe, participants answered semistructured and open-ended interview questions about their experience with CTS in the workplace, how they dealt with having CTS in the workplace, how they were treated in and out of the RTW program by their employer and co-workers, and why they felt their disease had a direct impact on how they were treated by their employer and co-workers.
Through the participants’ thoughts, feelings, emotions, and fears, individual stories emerged, which provided insight into the social existence and nonacceptance Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has in the workplace. Through the use of the employees with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome words and experiences, specifics about the physical, psychological, psychosomatic, and sociological experiences helped in the construction of preliminary theories that showed how the cause and effect reactions were the motivating factors of why employees with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome did or did not complete their employers’ Return to Work programs.
About the Author
My story begins the day I got hurt at work. That’s when my life changed. In 2005, I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, and within a week of reporting my injury to my manager, I was fired from my position. According to the human resources department, “You are no longer capable of doing the job you were hired to do.” It took me three months to find another job, and I used workers’ compensation as a means to pay for the medical bills associated with my injury.
Interestingly enough, my life was changed by a complete stranger with these words during my electromyogram: “Is there anything else you can do with your life?” These words echoed in my head and became my crucible. I never forgot that nurse, and while I spent the next two years fighting the insurance company for my medical bills, which totaled many thousands of dollars, to be paid, I never forgot that question, and I vowed no one would ever go through what I did again.
Eventually I did find work, but the first day at my new job, I hesitated to put on my brace, fearful of quickly being let go. When asked why I was wearing it, I lied, saying it was preventative maintenance. To add legitimacy to my statement, I added some medical terminologies to explain my rationale, and once I saw the person was very confused by what I was saying, I knew they would not ask me again. Before seeking alternative medical treatments for my carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms in 2009, this was my life.I’m ecstatic to say that the alternative medical treatment gave me my freedom back. Through the use of stretching techniques, I could once again use my right wrist and not wear a brace, nor have I since 2009.
This part of my experience with this disease made me even more determined to examine ways to help people. In the 2015 winter semester at Capella University, I completed my doctoral study, which examined why employees with carpal tunnel syndrome do or do not complete their employer-sponsored return-to-work program. I did this through the use of a constructivist grounded theory approach, which utilized semistructured interviews, open-ended interviews, and observations in order to learn about the essence of this disease. The experience I had with interviewing my participants was amazing. Each one came into my study with a story to tell, and when they left, I was and I am a better doctor for knowing them.
I do not believe my work with this disease is finished. As a matter of fact, I believe it is only the beginning. However, if I have learned anything from this experience, I have learned in order to effectively treat any disease, you have to treat the human aspect of the disease if you want to help the person heal.