Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
ls a condition affecting the hand often causing pins and needles, pain and numbness. It occurs due to irritation of the median nerve.
The Carpal Tunnel:
This anatomical area is formed from the carpal (wrist) bones and the flexor retinaculum. These structured create a ‘groove’ in which the median nerve and the tendons of the wrist flexor muscles run. The retinaculum acts to stabilise the area and to ‘hold everything in place’.
The median nerve starts in the neck and runs down the arm across the wrist on the palm side and down into the hand. It is responsible for supplying certain muscle groups including those that flex the wrist and fingers; it also supplies sensation to the skin on the palm of the hand usually the thumb, first, second and half of the ring finger.
Symptoms;
Pins and needles in the thumb, first and second finger
Pain from the wrist into the hand and fingers
Weaker grip on the affected side
Numbness in the thumb, first and second finger
Burning in the hand
It is common for symptoms to worsen at night, evidence suggests this is because the wrist falls into flexion while we sleep, a simple wrist splint can reduce these symptoms.
Causes;
There is no exact cause although research has highlighted
several areas
several areas