When it comes to hand issues, carpal tunnel syndrome ranks at the top of the list, affecting up to 5% of the general population at some point.
Despite how prevalent this condition is, there’s still some misinformation, or a lack of information, that we want to correct.
At New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine, our board-certified orthopedic surgeons treat musculoskeletal issues from head to toe, and our combined experience and expertise is considerable. Here, we present some important points about carpal tunnel syndrome.
A great place to start in exploring carpal tunnel syndrome is to outline exactly what occurs when you develop this condition.
Your carpal tunnel is a small space — about an inch wide — on the underside of your wrist. It’s made up of small carpal bones that form the base and sides, and your transverse carpal ligament forms the roof.
This tunnel may be small, but it’s a busy place as it hosts nine flexor tendons that control the movements of your fingers and thumb, as well as your median nerve. This nerve travels down your arm and provides sensation for your thumb, your pointer finger, your middle finger, and half of your ring finger.
When you develop carpal tunnel syndrome, your median nerve is being pinched by swelling inside the carpal tunnel. And this inflammation can cut off the blood supply to the nerve, which is what leads to the symptoms associated with the condition.
Because this condition involves a sensory nerve compression, most people experience:
These symptoms typically affect your thumb, pointer, and middle finger. That said, in rare cases, the symptoms travel the other way up your median nerve, toward your shoulder.
Some people are more prone to developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Women are three times more likely to develop the condition, and this gender difference is likely due to smaller carpal tunnels and hormone imbalances that lead to swelling.
Where people often get carpal tunnel syndrome wrong is that they blame computer work. While it’s true that repetitive hand movements are a risk factor, no direct link to keyboard work has been identified.
Instead, gender, age, and heredity seem to have more influence. As well, having certain health conditions, such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, can increase your risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.
The moment you feel symptoms in your hand, we urge you to make an appointment to see us. Carpal tunnel syndrome is often progressive, which means the condition only gets worse. And the more severe it gets, the more aggressive we need to be to resolve the issue.
In the early stages, we can turn to:
If your carpal tunnel syndrome doesn’t respond, you might benefit from a transverse carpal ligament release surgery, which involves making more room inside of your carpal tunnel.
If you have more questions or you’d like to be evaluated for carpal tunnel syndrome, contact our office in New Braunfels, Texas, by calling 830-341-1386 or requesting an appointment online.
