Carpal tunnel syndrome
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is formally known in medicine as median nerve compression syndrome of the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is a small passage beneath the skin on the palm side of the wrist, formed by the wrist bones and ligaments; nine tendons and one nerve pass through it into the hand. When the carpal tunnel narrows because of aging, frequent use or other causes and produces numbness and pain, the condition is called carpal tunnel syndrome.
Symptoms
- 1
- The wrist tingles and sensory changes appear.
- 2
- The above symptoms appear, and as they worsen, the muscles of the palm begin to atrophy.
- 3
- Tingling, burning pain, numbness and abnormal sensation appear in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and palm.
- 4
- In severe cases, a burning pain in the hand wakes the patient during sleep.
- 5
- Tapping the wrist causes tingling.
- 6
- Numbness appears when the wrist is held bent at 90 degrees for 1~2 minutes.
Treatment
In relatively mild, early cases where the cause is unclear, symptoms are intermittent and there is no atrophy of the finger muscles, wrist pain can be relieved by avoiding overuse of the wrist, splinting the wrist, drug therapy with anti-inflammatories, and steroid injections into the carpal tunnel.
In relatively mild, early cases where the cause is unclear, symptoms are intermittent and there is no atrophy of the finger muscles, wrist pain can be relieved by avoiding overuse of the wrist, splinting the wrist, drug therapy with anti-inflammatories, and steroid injections into the carpal tunnel.