Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Women
• Patient Handouts

Summary

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? It could be 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.

Often, the cause is having a smaller carpal tunnel 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.

Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent permanent nerve damage. Your doctor diagnoses carpal tunnel syndrome with a physical exam and special nerve tests. Treatment includes resting your hand, splints, pain and anti-inflammatory medicines, and sometimes surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Start Here

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (American College of Rheumatology)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Electromyography (EMG) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Wrist Pain (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• X-Rays: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Computer Workstations: Keyboards (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
• Computer Workstations: Wrist/Palm Supports (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Treatments and Therapies

• Carpal Tunnel Exercises: Can They Relieve Symptoms? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Carpal tunnel repair - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hand Surgery: Anesthesia (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Joint and Soft Tissue Injections (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Wrist Arthroscopy (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)

Living With

• Hand Therapy (American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Society of Hand Therapists)

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (National Library of Medicine)

Videos and Tutorials

• Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release (BroadcastMed) - Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Greenville, SC, 4/20/2012

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Complementary and Integrative Medicine for Neurologic Conditions.
• Article: Six-month Efficacy of Perineural Dextrose for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A...
• Article: The mini-incision technique for carpal tunnel release using nasal instruments...
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Find a Hand Surgeon (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Also in Spanish

Children

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)

Women

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Carpal tunnel biopsy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Carpal tunnel release (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish