What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

A nerve, called the median nerve, runs through the middle of your wrist, from your forearm into the hand palm, through a pathway named the carpal tunnel. When there is irritation in the carpal tunnel, it puts pressure on the median nerve. The results can be numbness, weakness, or pain in the wrist and hand and sometimes in the forearm and arm.

How Does Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Develop?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is often caused by several factors that worked to constrict the available space for the median nerve inside the carpal tunnel, rather than it being a nerve problem. In other words, the nerve is healthy but radiates pain because it’s being compressed. In many cases, no single cause can be identified.

Factors that can cause CTS to develop include:

• Wrist injury or trauma that causes swelling
• Overactive pituitary gland
• Under-active thyroid gland
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Repetitive hand or wrist motions
• Wrist joint problems
• Fluid retention
• A cyst or tumor in the carpal tunnel canal

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Common symptoms typically begin gradually. Sensations that feel like tingling, burning or numbness in the fingers or in the palm appear. There are people who have carpal tunnel syndrome that report their fingers feel swollen and useless, although there is no or little swelling visible to the eye.

In many cases, carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms first appear in one or both hands during the night, because many people sleep with their wrists bent. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you may wake up with an urge to shake out your wrists or hands.

As symptoms get worse, some people feel tingling during the day and may find it hard to grip things or make a fist. Performing other manual tasks may also get more difficult. In cases that are chronic and/or untreated, the muscles at the base of the thumb may wither away. Some carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers report not being able to tell the difference between hot and cold by touch.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment Options

Fortunately, carpal tunnel syndrome is easy to treat in most cases. Your doctor will start with non-invasive options, including:

• Splinting: A splint worn at night
• Avoiding daytime activities that can make symptoms appear: When slight discomfort happens during a task, take a break to rest the hand; if there is redness, warmth or swelling, apply a cool pack
• Over-the-counter medications: Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or aspirin and other nonprescription pain relievers, can provide short-term relief
• Prescription drugs: Corticosteroids can be taken by mouth to help relieve pressure on the median nerve

If non-invasive treatments don’t provide effective relief, simple outpatient surgery may be needed to get the desired results. During this procedure, your doctor releases the tissues that are pressing down on your median nerves. Another procedure found to be effective in treating carpal tunnel syndrome is a nerve block, where an injection of a local anesthetic numbs nerve tissue and eases symptoms.

Schedule your appointment today with Complete Neurological Care for the best carpal tunnel syndrome treatment found in Queens, Manhattan, Long Island, the Bronx, and New Jersey. Our carpal tunnel doctors have the skills and cutting-edge technology for a quick diagnosis and effective treatment for your neurological concerns.