Back to top Menu. Carpal tunnel syndrome. What is carpal tunnel syndrome? Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of a nerve in your wrist called the median nerve. The following can make you more likely to develop it: being overweight having certain other health conditions including diabetes or an underactive thyroid pregnancy — this may be due to the associated hormonal changes and fluid retention injury to your wrist such as a wrist fracture doing repeated activities that put your wrist in an unnatural position — either very flexed or extended bent either forwards or backwards some inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis a tumour or growth which might press on your nerve or make your carpal tunnel narrower.
Looking for physiotherapy? Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome Carpal tunnel symptoms tend to affect your thumb and fingers apart from your little finger. Symptoms include: numbness a tingling feeling or pins and needles weakness and finding it difficult to grip pain or a burning feeling You can have carpal tunnel symptoms in both hands or just one.
If you have any of these symptoms, contact your GP for advice. Diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome Your GP will ask you about your symptoms and your medical history. These may include: asking you to bend your wrist with your palm towards your forearm tapping or pressing over your median nerve on the inside of your wrist pressing on the ligament over your carpal tunnel in your wrist Your GP may be able to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome just by examining you and asking about your symptoms.
Nerve conduction test — this can show how bad any damage to your median nerve is. Self-help for carpal tunnel syndrome There may be things you can do to manage your symptoms. Treating any underlying condition such as arthritis may improve your carpal tunnel symptoms. Wrist splints for carpal tunnel syndrome Wrist splints can help to keep your wrist straight and reduce pressure on your compressed nerve. You can buy a wrist splint online or from a pharmacy. Steroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome Your GP may offer you a steroid injection into your carpal tunnel to help relieve your pain.
Other carpal tunnel syndrome treatments Exercise therapy Some people find that hand and wrist exercises can help with carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Complementary therapies Some people find acupuncture helps to relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Frequently asked questions Expand all. Did our information help you? Complete the survey.
About our health information At Bupa we produce a wealth of free health information for you and your family. Related information. Read more. Rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition which causes pain, swelling and stiffness in your joints.
Repetitive strain injury RSI. Carpal tunnel release surgery. Expand all. The British Society for Surgery of the Hand www. BMJ Best Practice. Versus Arthritis. Carpal tunnel tends to develop gradually and get worse with time.
It is treatable, and how long it lasts really depends on how quickly you adjust your wrist movements or seek treatment.
The syndrome is often caused by repetitive motion that leads to nerve compression, and without treatment, the pain, tingling or weakness in your thumb and fingers usually persists. If these symptoms are ignored, your case could become severe, causing loss of sensation for heat or cold or even severe muscle deterioration at the base of the hand. The earlier you get a proper diagnosis, the faster you can experience relief and reduce the potential for long-term damage.
If you suspect carpal tunnel, there are a few things that might help to minimize your symptoms prior to your appointment. But remember, these options only reduce symptoms, rather than treating the actual carpal tunnel syndrome:.
Try to take frequent breaks or eliminate the activity altogether if possible. This may include using a wrist pad next to your computer keyboard or temporarily changing your technique for other activities. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs such as ibuprofen can also temporarily reduce inflammation and pain.
Treatment naturally varies for each person, so what works best for you might not be as effective for someone else. This will depend on the type and severity of your specific symptoms. Your wrist will be made numb and you may be given medicine to make you sleepy and not feel pain called local anesthesia for the procedure. In some cases general anesthesia is used, this when drugs are used to put you into a deep sleep during surgery.
Anesthesia poses risks for some people. Other potential risks of a carpal tunnel release surgery include:. The recovery from carpal tunnel surgery takes time — anywhere from several weeks to several months. If the nerve has been compressed for a long period of time, recovery may take even longer. Recovery involves splinting your wrist and getting physical therapy to strengthen and heal the wrist and hand. There may be other risks, depending on your specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your doctor before the procedure.
Carpal tunnel release is usually an outpatient procedure, which means that you can go home the same day as the surgery if all goes well. There are 2 types of carpal tunnel release surgery. The traditional method is the open release, in which the surgeon cuts open the wrist to do the surgery. The other method is endoscopic carpal tunnel release, in which a thin, flexible tube that contains a camera is put into the wrist through a tiny incision cut.
The camera guides the doctor as the surgery is done with thin tools put into the wrist through another small cut. Once the surgery is done, you'll be monitored for a short time, and then allowed to go home. Only in rare cases or complications is an overnight stay needed for a carpal tunnel release surgery.
Your wrist will likely be in a heavy bandage or a splint for 1 to 2 weeks. Doctors usually schedule another appointment to remove the bandage or splint. During this time, you may be encouraged to move your fingers to help prevent stiffness. If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if and when to start taking it again.
Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do. Take pain medicines exactly as directed. If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed. If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, take an over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen Tylenol , ibuprofen Advil, Motrin , or naproxen Aleve.
Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not take two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol.
Too much acetaminophen Tylenol can be harmful. If you think your pain medicine is making you sick to your stomach: Take your medicine after meals unless your doctor has told you not to. Ask your doctor for a different pain medicine. If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better.
You need to take the full course of antibiotics. Keep your bandage dry. If it gets dirty, you may change it. If you have a splint, talk to your doctor about when you should wear it. You may need wrist and hand rehabilitation. This is a series of exercises you do after your surgery. This helps you get back your wrist's and hand's range of motion, strength, and grip. You will work with your doctor and physiotherapist or occupational therapist to plan this exercise program.
To get the best results, you need to do the exercises correctly and as often and as long as your doctor tells you. Put ice or a cold pack on your wrist for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days when you are awake or until the swelling goes down. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Prop up the sore wrist on a pillow when you ice it or anytime you sit or lie down during the next 3 days.
Try to keep it above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling.
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