Do I Have Carpal Tunnel?

Most of us have heard of carpal tunnel, but what is it?

First, let’s define our terms. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, usually referred to as simply carpal tunnel, is one of the most common “entrapment neuropathies”–a condition in which a nerve is squeezed or compressed. In the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, the median nerve, a nerve that passes through the “carpal tunnel” (a narrow cavity surrounded by bones and ligaments that make up the wrist), becomes compressed. “Syndrome”, rather than a specific injury with clear cause and effect, instead refers to a cluster of symptoms that typically occur together without one specific cause. There can be many reasons why the median nerve becomes irritated, but typical symptoms include pain, numbness, and tingling in the palm-side of the hand. If left untreated, this can lead to eventual muscle damage and weakness in the fingers and hands.

So… Do I Have Carpal Tunnel?

While any condition that causes additional swelling in the body, like pregnancy and diabetes, can contribute to carpal tunnel, the most common cases we see in the clinic are related to overuse. Repetitive movements and prolonged positioning of the hands and forearms, as in typing, playing piano, or swinging a racket, can result in irritation to the median nerve. However, just because symptoms are felt primarily in the hand, the issue might not be isolated to the hand itself! Because the median nerve runs from the hand all the way up the arm and into the neck, the root cause of symptoms could turn out to be an issue at the neck itself. While it may look like carpal tunnel, a thorough assessment by a registered physiotherapist will help to identify what exactly is contributing to your individual symptoms.

Treatment

The primary goal of physiotherapy treatment is to reduce symptoms and restore function. Hands-on mobilization by your physiotherapist can help reduce stiffness and restore range of motion in the hand and wrist. From there we want to modify the stressors that are being put on the nerve by changing movement patterns, practicing proper postural bracing, and/or modifying prolonged positioning that may be contributing to symptoms, like sleeping on the wrist. What treatment looks like will depend on the specifics of your case and the stressors that are contributing to your symptoms!

Hear what physiotherapist Iyad Salloum has to say about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the video below!