Carpal tunnel syndrome

A condition where pressure on a nerve in the wrist impacts control of movement in both the wrist and hand, often accompanied by a tingling sensation, numbness and pain.

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What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition where there is increased pressure on the nerve that crosses the front of your wrist. This is called the median nerve. The nerve runs through a tight tunnel, together with the tendons that bend your fingers.

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What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may include:

numbness in the hand and fingers
pins and needles
thumb weakness
clumsiness with fiddly things
a dull ache in the hand or arm

These sensations develop gradually and tend to be worse at night.

How is carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed?

Your consultant will assess your ability to use your hand, wrist or arm, and look for signs of weakness in the muscles surrounding your thumb. Holding your wrist elevated or flexing it completely are commonly performed simple tests for carpal tunnel syndrome.

These tests tend to induce the pain, numbness or tingling in your hand associated with the condition. A blood test may also be carried out if your consultant suspects a condition related to carpal tunnel syndrome, such as diabetes, thyroid problems or arthritis.

Potential treatment options

In some cases, carpal tunnel syndrome disappears without treatment, or the symptoms reduce by introducing simple prevention measures.

If the problem persists, your treatment may be non-surgical, such as using a wrist splint or steroid (corticosteroid) injections. Alternatively, your consultant may recommend minor surgery on the tight ligament (called the flexor retinaculum) that forms the roof of the carpal tunnel. This stops the nerve from being compressed.