What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is the term used to describe a specific group of symptoms (tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain) in the fingers or hand and occasionally in the lower arm and elbow. These symptoms occur when there is pressure on a nerve (median nerve) within the wrist (carpal tunnel). Carpal tunnel syndrome develops over time because of repetitive hand motions that damage muscle and bone in the wrist area.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or CTS, is a compression neuropathy — a pinching of the median nerve within the wrist. The carpal tunnel is a bony canal within the palm side aspect of the wrist that allows for the passage of the median nerve to the hand. Pinching or compression of this nerve by the transverse carpal ligament begins a progressively crippling disorder which eventually results in wrist pain, numbness and hand tingling, pain consisting of a “pins and needles” feeling at night, weakness in grip and a feeling of incoordination. This disabling syndrome occurs more often in women than men, by a ratio of 3 to 1, usually between the ages of 30 and 50 years. Also, CTS is seen more frequently in people who tend to do forceful repetitive types of work, such as grocery store checkers, assembly line workers, meat packers, typist, accountants, writers, etc. Find out more…
Carpal tunnel syndrome is the entrapment of the median nerve of the hand and wrist in the passageway (tunnel) through the carpal bones of the wrist. It results in symptoms such as pain, tingling and night numbness in the fingers and pain on gripping. Carpal tunnel may be caused by repetitive motion such as frequent keyboarding.
