The symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome show up gradually and include-
Tingling or Numbness- You may feel a ‘pins and needles or electric shock like sensation or numbness in your hands and fingers, especially, thumb, middle and index fingers. It usually occurs while driving, holding a phone or newspaper. Sometimes it is so strong that will wake you up from the sleep.
Weakness- The patients suffering from Carpal tunnel syndrome may feel weakness in their hands and drops objects often. This occurs due to weakness in the thumb muscles which are controlled by the median nerve.
If you have these symptoms, consult a Peripheral nerve surgeon for further evaluation and treatment.
There can be many causes leading to the condition of Carpal tunnel syndrome and some of them are mentioned below-
These include wrist fracture, dislocation, or arthritis that leads to bone deformation in the wrist and alters the space within the carpal tunnel leading to pressure on the median nerve.
Due to the relatively small carpal tunnel area, this condition usually occurs in women
Some chronic diseases like diabetes increase nerve damage which results in damage to the median nerve.
Rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions affect the wrist jointsg and the surrounding tendons and thus put pressure on the median nerve.
Someone who is obese has a higher risk of suffering from Carpal tunnel syndrome.
Fluid retention will lead to pressure on the Carpal tunnel irritating the median nerve. Most common during pregnancy and menopause.
Certain conditions like thyroid imbalance, acromegaly, kidney failure, and lymphedema increase the chances of Carpal tunnel syndrome.
Initially, the diagnosis is made by electrodiagnostic tests done by stimulating the muscles and nerves in your hand to examine the nerve functionality. Typically, there will be slow conduction of the current in the nerve when it is stimulated above the wrist.
The Carpal tunnel syndrome treatment may include-
During open surgery, the surgeon cut open your wrist, and the tissue pressing the nerves is cut open which relieves the pressure on the nerve.
During endoscopic surgery, the surgeon put a long, thin endoscope through a tiny cut on the wrist. The rod contains a camera and torch which helps the surgeon to examine the wrist. After the surgery, your wrist and hand will be wrapped with a splint which restricts the movement of the wrist and hand to facilitate the recovery.
If you are advised to undergo a carpal tunnel release surgery, then get a second opinion from an experienced surgeon for carpal tunnel syndrome to explore all the treatment options.
Department of Neurosurgery - Zulekha Hospital, First Floor - Block B - 204th Rd, Al Nahda - Al Nahda 2 - Dubai
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