Carpal Tunnel Specialist

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

The carpal tunnel is a small opening in your wrist that allows several tendons and the median nerve to travel from your arm into your hand. When the tendons become inflamed, or the surrounding bones are damaged, the median nerve is pinched inside this passage. That’s when you have carpal tunnel syndrome.

What increases my risk for carpal tunnel syndrome?

You have a higher risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome because you were born with a small carpal tunnel. Other things that lead to a pinched nerve include:

Repetitive use

If you frequently perform the same hand and finger movements, the tendons become inflamed.

Wrist flexion and extension

Doing ordinary activities with your wrist bent up (extension) or down (flexion) puts extra pressure on the nerve.

Wrist injuries

Any injury that changes the structures in your wrist can also narrow the carpal tunnel and pinch the nerve.

What symptoms are caused by carpal tunnel syndrome?

The median nerve serves your palm, thumb, second and third fingers, and part of your ring finger. When symptoms appear, you’ll experience one or more of the following:

• Pain in your hand and wrist
• Tingling or numbness in the affected fingers
• Feeling like your fingers are swollen when they’re not
• Limited finger movement
• Hand weakness
• Dropping objects
• Difficulty grasping small objects
• Wasting away of the muscle at the base of the thumb (in advanced cases)

At first, you have mild symptoms, but they get worse as the condition progresses.

How is carpal tunnel syndrome treated?

In most cases, carpal tunnel syndrome treatment begins with nonsurgical therapies. These treatments are designed to relieve your symptoms, give the tissues time to heal, and regain normal nerve function. Your provider could recommend wearing a wrist splint at night, stretching and strengthening exercises, and tips for keeping your wrist in a neutral position (not bending it).

Your Ortho 1 Medical Group provider could recommend surgery when:

• You have advanced nerve damage
• You have severe symptoms
• Your symptoms don’t improve with steroid injections
• Your symptoms last six months or longer
• Your hand muscles waste away

When you need surgery, your provider performs carpal tunnel release. This surgery relieves stress on the median nerve by cutting the ligament in the passageway roof. Carpal tunnel release is often the best (or only) way to ease your symptoms and regain the full function of your hand and fingers.

If you have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, don’t delay seeking treatment. Call Ortho 1 Medical Group today or book an appointment online.