Medical Conditions

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: What you need to know

By April 26, 2019 June 5th, 2019 No Comments

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (aka Median Nerve Entrapment)?

The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel through which ligaments pass to get from the wrist to the hand. The median nerve, one of the main nerves to supply the hand, also passes through this tunnel. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the tunnel is narrowed resulting in compression of the median nerve, which leads to a lack of function of the median nerve beyond the carpal tunnel.

What causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

The carpal tunnel can become narrower due to thickening of the tendon’s lining or a swelling which narrow’s the tunnel’s lining. This is commonly caused by repetitive work strain (such as typing, writing or using vibrating tools). Other causes of median nerve entrapment leading to carpal tunnel syndrome include rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroid disease and pregnancy.

What are the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

The main symptom in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is numbness, pins and needles and/or weakness of the hand in the distribution of the median nerve, which includes the palm, thumb, index and middle finger, and part of the ring finger. Often symptoms can be felt in both hands, with one worse than the other.

Symptoms associated with this include:

  • Burning, tingling or itching (which is often relieved by shaking the hand)

  • Symptoms worse in the morning, or may wake patient up at night

  • Symptoms may also be aggravated by using the hand, eg when driving or writing with a pen.

  • Patients may notice decreased grip strength, or difficulty doing tasks such as undoing a button

How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome diagnosed?

If you have symptoms similar to those described above, see your doctor and tell them about it. Your doctor will ask you questions and examine your hand. He may also want to order tests, which may include Nerve Conduction Studies (a non-invasive test of the nerve) and Electromyography (a minimally invasive test of muscle function). An ultrasound may also be useful to visualise the median nerve.

How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treated?

Depending on severity, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be managed a number of different ways.

Non-surgical treatments include:

  • Wearing a splint

  • Simple pain relief with medications such as ibuprofen

  • Lifestyle changes (such as avoiding repetitive stress)

  • Stronger medications or pain relief injections

If these measures are unsuccessful, surgery can be considered. This is a common and simple procedure which involves severing a ligament of the wrist to reduce the pressure in the carpal tunnel. It is a day-procedure (you will not have to stay over night), and only requires local anaesthetic (you will not need to be put under)

If you are interested in learning more about this topic, feel free to book an appointment with one of our friendly doctors by booking online or contacting us by phone on 8269 6000.

References:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 2017, Carpal Tunnel Fact Sheet, [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome-Fact-Sheet (Accessed 21 Jun 2018)

Emergency Care Institute New South Wales 2015, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/273954/cts-ed-patient-factsheet-march-2015.pdf (Accessed 21 Jun 2018)

American College of Rheumatology 2017, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.rheumatology.org/Portals/0/Files/Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome-Fact-Sheet.pdf (Accessed 21 Jun 2018)

Medical information disclaimer:

No advice: Our website contains general medical information. The medical information is not advice and should not be treated as such.

No warranties: The medical information on our website is provided without any representations or warranties, express or implied. Without limiting the scope above, we do not warrant or represent that the medical information on this website: will be constantly available, or available at all; or is true, accurate, complete, current or non-misleading.

Medical assistance: You must not rely on the information on our website as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter, you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice or discontinue medical treatment because of information on our website.

Interactive features: Our website includes interactive features that allow users to communicate with us. You acknowledge that, because of the limited nature of communication through our website’s interactive features, any assistance you may receive using any such features is likely to be incomplete and may even be misleading. Any assistance you may receive using any our website’s interactive features does not constitute specific advice and accordingly should not be relied upon without further independent confirmation.

Limits upon exclusions of liability: Nothing in this disclaimer will: limit or exclude any liability for death or personal injury resulting from negligence; limit or exclude any liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; limit any liabilities in any way that is not permitted under applicable law; or exclude any liabilities that may not be excluded under applicable law.

Credit:This document was created using a template from SEQ Legal (http://www.seqlegal.com).

Leave a Reply