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What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is the name for a group of problems that includes numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in your wrist or hand. It's a very common condition that happens when a nerve in your wrist becomes squeezed.
The carpal tunnel is a narrow opening between the bones in your wrist and the ligament that holds them together. A nerve, called the median nerve, runs from your lower arm through the carpal tunnel and into your hand. This nerve provides feeling to your thumb and first three fingers. It also helps you move your thumb.
Tendons also run from your lower arm, through the carpal tunnel, and into your hand. The tendons connect your finger bones to muscles in your arm, so you can bend your fingers.
If the tendons become swollen or irritated inside the carpal tunnel, they may press on the nerve. The squeezed nerve may not work well, which can lead to numbness, weakness, and other symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?In certain cases, the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is unknown. But it usually happens from a combination of things that affect the structures in your wrist, such as:
Researchers aren't sure whether long-term typing or computer use leads to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Who is more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome?Carpal tunnel syndrome usually happens only in adults. You're more likely to develop it if you:
You may feel numbness, tingling or burning in your fingers, especially in your thumb, index, and middle fingers. Symptoms often affect both hands.
In the early stages, symptoms usually:
As symptoms get worse, you may notice:
Without treatment, you could lose feeling in some fingers and have permanent weakness in your thumb. But early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent lasting damage.
How is carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed?
To find out if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, your health care provider will:
It's easier to treat carpal tunnel syndrome early on, so you should start treatment as soon as possible. Your provider will first treat any health conditions you have that may cause your symptoms. The next step would be treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome. They may include:
You may help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome if you protect your wrists:
A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament. Ligaments are tissues that connect bones at a joint. Falling, twisting, or getting hit can all cause a sprain. Ankle and wrist sprains are common. Symptoms include pain, swelling, bruising, and being unable to move your joint. You might feel a pop or tear when the injury happens.
A strain is a stretched or torn muscle or tendon. Tendons are tissues that connect muscle to bone. Twisting or pulling these tissues can cause a strain. Strains can happen suddenly or develop over time. Back and hamstring muscle strains are common. Many people get strains playing sports. Symptoms include pain, muscle spasms, swelling, and trouble moving the muscle.
At first, treatment of both sprains and strains usually involves resting the injured area, icing it, wearing a bandage or device that compresses the area, and medicines. Later treatment might include exercise and physical therapy.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases