The Carpal Tunnel is a passageway on the palmer surface of the wrist that allows for and protects the Median nerve as it passes through the wrist into the hand. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by anything or aspect that causes the space within the tunnel to become reduced; thus compressing the Median nerve. This compression can be a result of the tunnel getting smaller, or contents within the tunnel getting bigger.
Some known risk factors associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are:
Heredity - inherited physical conditions such as shape of the wrist may make an individual more susceptible to having the condition, as well as having other members in the family having had the condition too.
Gender - women are 3 times more likely to have the condition.
Health Condition - thyroid problems, diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, end stage kidney disease, pregnancy, oral contraceptives or menopause can all increase the risk of having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Compression of the Median nerve can stem from:
rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, thyroid disorders, menopause, pregnancy, trauma to the hand and wrist, genetic disposition, and prolonged repetitive flexing and extending of the bones/tendons within the hand and wrist.
Symptoms that accompany Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include:
Tingling and numbness in the fingers and hand (especially thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers), pain radiating or extending up the arm into the shoulder or down into the palm of the hand, (usually occurs on the palmer surface of the hand), and weakness in the hand. As the condition worsens, the symptoms increase with severity as well.
In efforts to diagnosis Carpel Tunnel Syndrome a physician might order:
Electromyogram - Electromyography measures the tiny electrical discharges produced in muscles. A thin-needle electrode is inserted into the muscles your doctor wants to study. An instrument records the electrical activity in your muscle at rest and as you contract the muscle.
Nerve conduction study - two electrodes are taped to your skin. A small shock is passed through the median nerve to see if electrical impulses are slowed in the carpal tunnel.
Routine diagnostic imaging exams such as x-rays, MRI, and/or CT aren't commonly used to diagnosis Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but might be ordered to rule out any other diseases related to the patients symptoms.
Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include:
Anti-inflammatory medications, Rest, Immobilization, Corticosteroid injections, and possible even surgery to "release" the ligament impingement on the Median nerve.
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