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The median nerve runs from the neck to the wrist through the Carpal Tunnel

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

What is the Carpal Tunnel?

The Carpal Tunnel is located on the palm side of your wrist. It is a tunnel to protect the median nerve which controls index and middle finger function.

If there is any kind of blockage, pressure or inflammation in this tunnel it puts pressure on the nerve, creating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Symptoms

  • Carpal Tunnel syndrome typically starts with a vague aching in your wrist that can extend to your hand or forearm.
  • Tingling or numbness in your fingers or hand, especially thumb, index, middle or ring fingers, but not little finger. This often occurs upon awakening with many people “shaking out” their hands to relieve their symptoms.
  • Pain from your wrist up your arm to your shoulder or down into your palm or fingers, especially after forceful or repetitive use.
  • Weakness in your hands and a tendency to drop objects.
  • A loss of feeling in some fingers.

Unnecessary surgery

Typically patients go to a doctor complaining of some or all of the above symptoms, they have an ultrasound or similar investigation and then have carpal tunnel surgery. They are then frustrated because the symptoms don’t go away.

Thorough assessment

The symptoms of Carpal Tunnel are symptoms of a problem to the Median Nerve. This nerve runs from the neck, through the shoulder, upper arm, elbow and forearm, through the Carpal Tunnel in the wrist and into the hand. This means that compromise at any point can cause these symptoms.

This means that the entire route of the Median Nerve must be examined to determine the actual location of the pressure on the nerve.

If you have pain in both wrists it is CRITICAL to get a proper assessment of the neck

Is my computer giving me Carpal Tunnel?

Honestly, probably not, but it might be giving you Carpal Tunnel like symptoms. I call this “iPain”. The hunched over, crounched in posture that we all use on laptops, tablets and smartphones can cause all kinds of neck and shoulder issues. Which cause similar symptoms.

4 Comments

  • carpal tunnel syndrome in Melbourne

    December 18, 2015, 8:23 am

    This is truly unique and excellent information. I sense you think a lot like me, or vice versa. Thank you for sharing this great article.

  • Mark Penn

    February 20, 2016, 6:10 pm

    I have what I believe to be”carpal tunnel syndrome”. It started with a pain in my wrist which I couldn’t allocate to an injury. I had pain in my hand and forearm at night which would slowly ease during the day but reoccur at night. It has eased a little but I now have an inability to clench my fist in the morning and a tingling in thumb and two forefingers all day. I have heard a cortizone injection to the tunnel itself will “cure” it. I do a fairly repetitive job as a gardener and I think this may have brought on the inset of it.
    Can you help? Do I need a doctor? Will this improve in time? It has now been 2 months.
    Thanks for any help you can offer.
    Regards.
    Mark Penn.
    Pizarra, Andalucia, Spain.
    Mob: 664754647

    • Estelle Mitchell

      February 23, 2016, 8:51 am

      Hi Mark,
      Thank you for getting in touch.
      From what you’ve said it does sound like you have compromised the nerve that runs from your neck to your fingers and hand. However there are a LOT of other junctions along the route before we get to your wrist that we would have to investigate.
      Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory and would, therefore, reduce inflammation (and pain) where it was injected. However the effects usually only last about 6 – 8 weeks and then the symptoms return, often worse as you have been “ignoring” the problem and continuing on as normal.
      The short answer is yes, I can help, we would need to do a proper, clinical assessment to determine where along the chain the problem was coming from and then look at the options to resolve it.
      It’s unlikely to go away “all by itself” as nerve irritation can linger without help.
      Perhaps give me a call on 952 883 151 or drop me an email for more information?
      Take care, Estelle

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