Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What is it?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the nerves and tendons running through the carpal tunnel of the wrist are squeezed by tissue or bone, or become irritated and swell.

Symptoms

At first, there may be numbness and tingling of the fingers or a burning feeling in the hand. Shooting pain in the wrist or forearm may follow and can move up the arm and to the back of the shoulder. The grip may weaken.

Pain often begins several hours after the work activity has stopped. Thus it is usually worse at night.

Because of this delay in the onset of symptoms, many Carpal Tunnel Syndrome sufferers don't realize their work activities are causing the pain. The tingling can lead, over time, to stiffness and numbness in the fingers and hand, and then to severe wrist and hand pain.