Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 101

Many individuals in North America have been diagnosed with Carpal tunnel syndrome. One of the chief reasons why this syndrome is being diagnosed more frequently is partly related to our lifestyle and occupation

Carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway on the front of the wrist joint. In this narrow tunnel passes an important nerve to the hands and fingers. In some individuals, this tunnel narrows and compresses the nerve. When the nerve is compressed, the individual will company of numbness, pain, and tingling in the middle three fingers. In the majority of cases, only one hand is affected, but in some unlucky individual, both hands can be affected.

The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome usually include the following:

- tingling or numbness in the middle three fingers is
a common complaint. Individuals usually notice that
when they hold something in the hand, numbness or pain
comes on. Frequently, these individuals shake their
hands to relieve the symptoms
- as the disease progresses, pain radiates to the wrist and arm.
- Individuals who are in an occupation where they perform
repetitive actions with the hand often have more severe pain
- Over time one develop weakness in the hands and a tendency
to drop objects is a frequent occurrence
- when carpal tunnel syndrome has advanced, the majority of
individuals will have breakdown of hand muscles, loss of
hand function and persistent numbness in the middle three fingers.

There are many causes of carpal tunnel syndrome including:

- rheumatoid arthritis
- menopause
- diabetes
- pregnancy
- repetitive use or injury of the wrist
- Any condition which leads to fluid build up and
narrow the tunnel, thus compressing the nerve

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