Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

→ Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. This leads to pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and fingers. It commonly occurs due to repetitive hand movements and can affect daily activities like writing, typing, or gripping objects.

Causes

→ Repetitive hand and wrist movements

→ Prolonged typing or computer use

→ Wrist injury or trauma

→ Diabetes

→ Hypothyroidism

→ Pregnancy (fluid retention)

→ Rheumatoid arthritis

Symptoms

→ Numbness and tingling in thumb, index, and middle fingers

→ Hand weakness

→ Pain in wrist and hand

→ Difficulty in gripping objects

→ Burning sensation

→ Symptoms worse at night

Diagnosis

→ Clinical examination by doctor

→ Tinel’s sign

→ Phalen’s test

→ Nerve conduction studies (NCS)

→ Electromyography (EMG)

Treatment Management

→ Rest and activity modification

→ Wrist splinting

→ Physiotherapy

→ Pain relief medications

→ Corticosteroid injections

→ Ergonomic correction

→ Surgery (carpal tunnel release in severe cases)