What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects 3 million Americans each year, is a painful condition that affects your carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway in your wrist. It occurs when tendons in your hand become inflamed and swollen, which places pressure on the median nerve in your hand.
In most cases, carpal tunnel syndrome progresses and gets worse over time as the swelling continues to irritate the nerve in your hand.
Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Tingling pain in your hand and fingers
- Temporary electric shock-like sensations in your fingers
- Weakness in your hand and fingers
- Dropping things out of your hand
- Pain felt in the forearm toward the shoulder
What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is normally caused by a combination of factors. Women and older adults are at a higher risk of developing the condition.
Some other risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Family History: Your carpal tunnel can be more narrow naturally due to genetics.
- Repeating the same motions with your hands: Performing the same repetitive activity with your hands over time, such as typing, can irritate the tendons in your wrist and lead to inflammation.
- Pregnancy: Hormonal changes that affect many pregnant women can lead to swelling throughout the body, including in the wrist.
- Chronic Health Conditions: Carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with conditions like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disease.
How do you treat carpal tunnel syndrome?
Dr. Harwood performs a thorough evaluation to determine the severity of your carpal tunnel syndrome, then works with you to develop nonsurgical treatment options to stop the progression of the condition. He may prescribe a brace that you wear on your wrist at night or during the day to keep your wrist, which relieves pressure on the median nerve. You might take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications and work with him to make changes in how you use your hands at work or in everyday activities.
If these more conservative treatments don’t provide sufficient relief, Dr. Harwood may administer steroid injections or discuss surgical treatment options with you.
