Also called: Also called: Median nerve entrapment
You're working at your desk, trying to ignore the tingling or numbness you've had for some time in your hand and wrist. Suddenly, a sharp, piercing pain shoots through the wrist and up your arm. Just a passing cramp? More likely you have carpal tunnel syndrome.
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway of ligament and bones at the base of your hand. It contains nerve and tendons. Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel and causes the nerve to be compressed. Symptoms usually start gradually. As they worsen, grasping objects can become difficult.
What causes the problem? Some people have smaller carpal tunnels than other people do. Other causes include performing assembly line work, wrist injury, or swelling due to certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Women are three times more likely to have carpal tunnel syndrome than men. Treatment includes resting your hand, splints, pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, and surgery.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
-
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/carpal_tunnel/detail_carpal_tunnel.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/tunel_carpiano.htm -
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Preventing the Pain in Your Hands and Wrists(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/pain/disorders/023.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/pain/disorders/023.printerview.html
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/CP99999/PAGE=all&METHOD=print
-
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/carpal_tunnel/carpal_tunnel.htm
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/carpaltunnel.asp?aud=pat
- Surgery May Beat Splinting for Carpal Tunnel(10/16/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70495.html
-
Electrodiagnostic Testing(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00270
Also available in Spanish http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00490
- Wrist Pain(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/wrist-pain/DS01003/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
-
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/carpaltunnelsyndromeopensurgery/htm/index.htm
- Hand Surgery: Anesthesia(American Society for Surgery of the Hand) - http://www.assh.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PatientsPublic/HandConditions/HandSurgeryAnesthesia/Surgery_Anesthesia.htm
-
Joint and Soft Tissue Injections(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/injuries/774.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/physical/injuries/774.printerview.html
- Wrist Arthroscopy(American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00001
-
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(American Physical Therapy Association) - http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=20407&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.apta.org/AM/Images/APTAIMAGES/ContentImages/ptandbody/carpaltunnel/CarpalSpainish.pdf
- Wrist/Palm Supports(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) - http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/components_wrist_rests.html
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/carpaltunnelsyndromeopensurgery/htm/index.htm
- Carpal Tunnel Release(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour video - 12/11/2006 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=386
- Atlas of the Body: The Carpal Tunnel(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZDLCB46JC&sub_cat=181
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Carpal+Tunnel+Syndrome%22
-
Genetics Home Reference: Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=hereditaryneuropathywithliabilitytopressurepalsies
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Splinting after carpal tunnel release: current practice, scientific evidence, and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18827642&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Electrodiagnosis as an extension of the physical examination: identifying proximal... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18806514&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Attributable risk of carpal tunnel syndrome according to industry and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18759264&tool=MedlinePlus
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=carpal+tunnel+syndrome[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Find a Hand Surgeon(American Society for Surgery of the Hand) - http://www.assh.org/scriptcontent//FAHSSplash.cfm?Section=Find_a_Hand_Surgeon
- Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/members.cfm
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - http://www.aaos.org/
- American Society for Surgery of the Hand - http://www.assh.org/
-
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- Repetitive Motion Related Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away from Work, 2006(Bureau of Labor Statistics) - Links to PDF - http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb1781.pdf
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/aches/carpal.html
- Hand Injuries and Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/handinjuriesanddisorders.html
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wristinjuriesanddisorders.html
- Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/