Carpal Tunnel

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when your median nerve becomes compressed as it passes through your carpal tunnel, causing pain, numbness and tingling in your thumb, and some fingers.

You see, there’s a tunnel on the palm side of your wrist called the carpal tunnel. It’s the perfect size for all sorts of wiring to run from your arm to your hand. In fact, it’s almost exclusively used for tendons that allow you to move your fingers. But it’s also home to your median nerve.

Problem is, when one or more of those tendons becomes inflamed or swollen, there’s only so much room in your carpal tunnel, and that means your median nerve gets squeezed. And it can hurt.

What the cause? Well, there’s really no cause, but carpal tunnel syndrome has been linked to a number of risk factors, including obesity, arthritis, diabetes, trauma, and genetics, as well as repetitive motions in work.

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, your non-surgical treatment options include steroids, splinting, and exercise. If surgery is required, you’ll likely need to rest your wrist for several weeks after your operation while you recover, and then consult your surgeon about recommended hand and finger exercises, as well as any hand therapy he or she believes is necessary.