Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes serious pain and sensation issues in your wrist and hand. It happens when the median nerve — the main nerve leading to your hand — grows compressed within your carpal tunnel.
The carpal tunnel is a small canal at the bottom of your hand, where your wrist starts. This passageway includes a semicircle of bones and a ligament that joins them. Your median nerve and flexor tendons, which bend your fingers, both pass through the carpal tunnel.
If any part of your carpal tunnel grows inflamed, it compresses your median nerve to cause the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome generally worsens over time, so it's very important to see a specialist at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. to halt the progression and prevent permanent damage.
Carpal tunnel syndrome often causes telltale symptoms in your wrist and hand. Common symptoms include:
Usually, carpal tunnel syndrome mainly affects the thumb, index, and middle fingers, so your pinky finger may feel normal. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms occur in one hand (your dominant hand).
The best way to know if you have carpal tunnel syndrome is by seeing an experienced orthopedic specialist at Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. as soon as possible.
Some of the main causes of median nerve compression leading to carpal tunnel syndrome include:
Your specialist at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. can assess your hand and wrist and review your symptoms to determine the cause of your carpal tunnel syndrome. Then, they design a personalized treatment plan for you.
The West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. team recommends nonsurgical treatments whenever possible. Your treatment may include bracing, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, prescribed exercises, and pain-relieving injections.
In many cases, activity modification can also help. For example, you can alternate hands while working, rest frequently when making repetitive hand motions, and minimize wrist bending or extension.
If nonoperative treatment doesn’t help, you may need surgery to widen the carpal tunnel opening and ease median nerve pressure.
For customized carpal tunnel care, call West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C., or book with online scheduling now.