What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition brought on by increased pressure on the median nerve in the hand.
The median nerve controls muscles used for gripping and the coordination of fine movements.
The nerve passes through the carpal tunnel, a passageway in the base of the hand that is also a conduit for the flexor tendons of the fingers.
It occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through this tunnel in the hand.
When compressed, the median nerve causes numbness, tingling, weakness and pain in the hand and wrist.
It is the most common peripheral nerve compression syndrome.
What are the symptoms? Common symptoms include pain and numbness in the hand, including the thumb, index, middle and half of the ring finger.
More severe cases may also lead to a weak grip and pain in the hand and wrist.
Often patients suffering from it have difficulty sleeping at night due to the pain and numbness.
What are the Causes? While the majority of cases of are idiopathic (unknown), there is some evidence that an individual's anatomy and occupational exposures may play a role in the development of it.
What are the treatment options? Treatment usually begins with wrist splints, especially at night, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Steroid injections into the carpal tunnel may also provide relief of symptoms.
Ultimately, surgery may be necessary to relieve the pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel and the good news is that there are some minimally invasive options available which you can choose and one of these options is "The endoscopic technology" which allows the surgeon to dramatically reduce the incision size.
Patients who undergo this minimally invasive procedure experience a faster recovery time and less pain, and most importantly equal clinical results to traditional surgery.