Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Symptoms, Complications, and Treatment

Contents

In this article, we will take a look at:

• What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
• How Does Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occur?
• Who is Prone to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
• Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Complications of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? 

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, a major nerve of hand travelling through the wrist, gets compressed. This situation leads to numbness, pain and tingling in the arms and hand. The median nerve is responsible for the movement of the fingers and any kind of restraint in it can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

This can further damage the nerve and worsen the symptoms. If it becomes severe, carpal tunnel syndrome can affect the gripping strength, as the muscles of hand might start to shrink. This can further cause severe pain and muscle cramping.

How Does Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Occur?

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs due to several factors. Some of which include:

• Diabetes
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Fluid retention
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Fractures
• High blood pressure

However, the main reason for this is the pressure on a median nerve. When the passage becomes thin or the nearby tissues expand or swells, the median nerve gets pressure, leading to the syndrome.

Who is Prone to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

You could be at the risk of developing Carpal tunnel syndrome if:

• You inherit it from family
• You use the same hand and wrist movement for a prolonged period
• You have a specific hand and wrist position
• You are pregnant
• You are obese
• You have diabetes
• You are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or thyroid gland
• You have a wrist fracture
• You have hand deformity
• You have a tumour or mass in the carpal tunnel
• You have an overactive pituitary gland
• Women and older people have a higher risk of developing this syndrome.

What are the Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Diagnosed?

The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:

• Numbness and tingling in the fingers
• Pain and burning sensation in the fingers
• Pain or tingling in the forearm or shoulders
• Shock-like sensations in the fingers
• Weakness and clumsiness in the hand
• Dropping things

Diagnosis

After suspecting carpal tunnel syndrome, the doctor might conduct a complete physical examination to confirm the symptoms. He might perform few tests to check the movement of hand and wrist. The doctor might perform electro physiological tests to examine the median nerve. He can ask for X-ray, MRI or ultrasound to check for any further damage in tissues.

What are the Complications of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

If diagnosed at the right time, Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated and the symptoms might subside by stopping the disease to progress further. Some of the other complications caused due to Carpal tunnel syndrome include:

• Weakening of the muscles at the base of the thumb
• Dexterity of affected fingers
• Atrophy

What is the treatment for Carpal tunnel syndrome?

The treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome depends completely on the stage of the disease. The doctors provide both surgical and non-surgical treatment for this disease. However, the surgical treatment is provided when there is no progress from the non-surgical method or the damage is severe. Endoscopic carpal tunnel release and open carpal tunnel release are two types of surgical treatments provided to relieve the pressure from median nerve. The non-surgical treatments include bracing or splinting, never gliding exercises and change in the activities related to the movement of hands and wrist.