Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Have you been trying to ignore the tingling or numbness in your hand and wrists for months? Then, suddenly a sharp piercing pain shoots through the wrist and up you arm, more likely you have carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.  The median nerve controls sensations in the palm side of the thumb and fingers as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move.  Carpal tunnel a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand houses the median nerve and tendons.  Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to be compressed.  The result may be pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm.

Symptoms usually start gradually, with frequent burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers.  Some suffer say their fingers feel useless and swollen, even though little or no swelling is apparent.  Symptoms often first appear in one or both hands during the night, since many people sleep with flexed wrists.  A person with carpal tunnel syndrome may wake up feeling the need to “shake out” the hand or wrist.  As symptoms worsen, people might feel tingling during the day.

Carpel tunnel syndrome is often the result of a combination of factors that increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel.  Decreased grip strength may make it difficult to form a fist or grasp small objects.  In untreated cases the muscles at the base of the thumb may waste away.  Some people are unable to tell between hot and cold by touch.

Women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. This be due to the carpal tunnel itself may be smaller in women than in men.  Our dominant hand is usually affected first and produces the most pain.  Carpal tunnel usually occurs only in adults. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to avoid permanent damage to the median nerve.

Carpal tunnel release is one of the most common surgical procedures in the country.  Recurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome following treatment is rare.  Most patients recover completely. When visiting a hand surgeon the first step would be examination of the hands and a review of symptoms.