Carpal Tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition where pressure is built up on your median nerve in
your wrist. This results in pain, tingling and numbness in your hand and fingers. Due to these
symptoms you may also develop weakness and clumsiness in the hand.
What are the causes?
- Heredity - Anatomically some people have a smaller carpal tunnel naturally
- Repetitive hand use
- Hand and wrist position in extreme flexion (bending forwards) for long periods
- Pregnancy - hormonal changes can cause swelling in the wrists
- Other health conditions - Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid gland imbalance
How can I manage this?
- Avoiding repetitive hand/wrist movements
- Night wrist splint. To keep hand/wrist in a neutral position
- Hand exercises/mobilizations
- Invasive treatment: corticosteroid injection
*If symptoms do not improve/persist for a long period of time, you may be eligible for a
carpal tunnel surgery to release your nerve.
The Versus Arthritis: Carpal tunnel syndrome | Causes, symptoms, treatment
(versusarthritis.org)
The Royal College of Surgeons of England - Carpal tunnel release: Download the Leaflet — Royal College of Surgeons (rcseng.ac.uk)
