Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Condition
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common wrist condition that occurs when the median nerve is pinched in the wrist. The median nerve travels the carpal tunnel, which is a nerve passageway that consists of three sides of bone and one side of a very hard ligament. Nine tendons also travel through the carpal tunnel and when those tendons are swollen from overuse or repetitive use, the median nerve can get compressed causing pain and other symptoms.
Symptoms
Symptoms for carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Wrist/Hand Pain
- Wrist/Hand Numbness
- Wrist/Hand Weakness
- Wrist/Hand Tingling
- Cramping/Aching
People often find that the pain from carpal tunnel becomes worse when hands are used for daily activities such as typing or writing.
Treatment
Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated by a number of different methods including wrist braces, anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy. In cases where the symptoms persist, cortisone injections or minimally invasive surgery should resolve carpal tunnel. It is important to treat carpal tunnel or it may lead to permanent injury.