Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Are you sometimes aware of numbness and tingling in your hands and fingers, especially at night? Do your hands occasionally feel swollen and clumsy, although they appear to be perfectly normal? Does a sharp pain shoot up your arm from time-to-time?

If these sensations have been occurring over several months and are gradually increasing in frequency and intensity, then it is possible that you are suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, a progressively more and more painful condition which is caused by pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the Carpal Tunnel.

The carpal tunnel is at the base of the hand

The Carpal Tunnel is a thick, narrow tube formed of bone and ligaments. It is found at the base of the hand. The median nerve runs from the forearm into the wrist, where, together with some tendons, it enters the Carpal Tunnel. The tightness of the Tunnel causes the median nerve to become slightly constricted, even in the normal hand.

The median nerve is responsible for controlling feeling in the front (palm) of the hand and particularly in the thumb and fingers (with the exception of the little finger). The nerve also permits small muscles in the hand to control the movement of the fingers and thumb.

The Carpal Tunnel can become more than usually narrow because of swelling or because the tendons passing through it have become irritated and thickened. These factors restrict the space available for the median nerve within the tunnel. Thus pressure is exerted on the nerve which causes the symptoms which indicate the presence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Swollen Tendons

However, some people are born with an unusually narrow Carpal Tunnel which eventually causes the pressure on the median nerve associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is considered to be a prime cause of the condition, contrary to popular belief which considers that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by repetitive, forceful use of the hand and wrist.

There are, however, a number of further possible causes for the pressure on the median nerve. In most cases more than one factor is present.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms >>