Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

The Carpel tunnel is a slender path in the palm of the hands flanked by muscles and bones as shown in Fig 1. The median nerve passes below the carpel muscles. If the passage becomes narrower due to injury, the median nerve gets compressed. This leads to pain, weakness, and numbness in the fingers of the hand. This is called Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.

Fig 1

Causes:

1. Frequent movements of hands while using a mouse and typing keyboard.

2. Joint or bone diseases

3. injury while playing sports

4. hormonal changes

5. common with type 2 diabetes

6. family history

Symptoms:

1. Numbness and tingling in fingers: Mainly observed in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers.

2. Swollen feeling in fingers

3. Pain and numbness in fingers that gets worst at night.

Treatment:

1. Anti-inflammatory drugs

2. Hand and wrist exercises can help alleviate pain

3. Surgery by dividing the carpal ligament in the hand and relieving the pressure on the median nerve.