What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when pressure is placed on the median nerve. The carpal tunnel is an area on the palm of the hand that’s surrounded by ligaments and bones. The median nerve passes through this area, and since the passageway is so narrow and surrounded by bones and ligaments, the median nerve is prone to being pinched.
There are several factors that make some people more likely to experience carpal tunnel than others. For instance, people who do repetitive motions are more likely to experience carpal tunnel. But there are also factors that people have no control over, such as the specific anatomy of a person’s hand. Basically, anything that causes friction or pressure on the median nerve in the hand can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. For instance, a person who fractures their wrist could experience carpal tunnel syndrome, depending on how the break heals.
Another factor that plays into who experiences carpal tunnel syndrome is sex, with women more likely to experience the condition than men. This is most likely due to the fact that women often have smaller anatomy than most men, and the carpal tunnel area on many women is more likely to be smaller.
People who have conditions that damage nerves, such as diabetes, are more likely to experience carpal tunnel syndrome that’s caused by nerve damage. Obesity, body fluid changes, and certain kinds of medications can also make it more likely that a person will experience the syndrome.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Symptoms usually start out slowly and become worse over time. For instance, some people might first notice symptoms in the morning or just after working with their hands for extended periods of time.
One of the most common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome is tingling or numbness in the fingers and hand. Only the middle, ring, index, and thumb fingers will be affected, and there won’t be a difference in feeling in the pinky fingers. The feeling might be like an electric shock to the tip of the fingers.
Some people might experience sensations that travel up their arms. This is especially true if the person is holding a steering wheel or other object that they have to grip. Over time, the numbness might become constant even despite best efforts to try to regain feeling, such as shaking out the hand.
It’s also common for people to experience weakness in their hands and be more prone to dropping certain objects. The median nerve is not only responsible for controlling sensation; it’s also responsible for controlling muscle control, so if the nerve is pinched off enough, it’s likely that the nerve signals that the brain is sending to control the muscles aren’t reaching that area.
In less severe cases, some people will experience a general clumsiness even if they don’t have complete numbness or muscle control. The weakness might also spread beyond the hand to the wrist.
Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
There are three main forms of treatment that a person can use to lessen their symptoms or get rid of them completely. The first one, which is completely non-invasive, is self-care. Things as simple as taking breaks more often and applying cold packs to reduce the swelling can help with the symptoms. These types of treatments are most often used on people who have only mild or moderate symptoms that last for less than 10 months.
Another form of treatment that some people might use is non-surgical but requires more treatment from a doctor. For instance, wrist splinting is one option that can alleviate symptoms. The splint is only worn at night, but it can alleviate pain and discomfort during the night and during the day for some people. This is an especially useful option for pregnant women because there’s no medication, which could be negative for the health of the woman and unborn child.
Some doctors will suggest to their patients to use NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, to relieve the pain in the short term. Corticosteroids may also be injected to relieve inflammation, which should also lessen symptoms.
In some cases, surgery is necessary because other forms of treatment haven’t worked. The goal of these types of surgery is to relieve pressure on the median nerve by cutting the ligament that’s pressing on the nerve. Endoscopic surgery and open surgery are both used for this procedure.
