Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is when the median nerve in your wrist is squeezed or compressed.
The surrounding nine flexor tendons squeeze the median nerve and cause pain, tingling, or numbness.
It may also be known as "Median Nerve Compression at the Wrist.
" Essentially, your median nerve can look like an hour-glass while it's traveling through the carpal tunnel.
The tunnel is a space that is surrounded by bone, with the median nerve and the other tendons around it going through the bony tunnel.
If the tunnel is smaller than average, or if the nerve is inflamed, or if the tendons surrounding the nerve are inflamed, the nerve is squeezed, causing classic symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
You typically feel pain, tingling, or numbness in your thumb, index finger, middle finger, and the side of your ring finger closest to the middle finger.
It often feels like your hand is falling asleep.
This can occur at all times of the day and night.
If it progresses, your hand muscles grow weaker.
You can generally move your hand normally, but you may find that doing simple tasks make it tired or cramped within several minutes.
Earlier cases often have sensory findings, i.
e.
changes in sensation.
More advanced cases will have motor changes, or difficulty in maintaining strength.
If you think you have this problem, you should talk to your family doctor or your hand surgeon close to your house.
If you feel that this is due to your work, you may want to talk talk to your boss or HR person.