HealthSquare.com

Your Prescription Drug Destination
See all our sites for your special health needs at www.HealthCentral.com
HealthSquare >  Conditions and Treatments >  Alpha Index >  C >  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Search:

Choose a suggestion...
...or just finish typing
Drugs A-Z:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve leading from the arm to the hand gets pinched as it passes through the carpal tunnel, a narrow, hollow area in the wrist. One or both hands can be affected.

Causes

Pressure on the median nerve is often the result of the swelling caused by a wrist injury, arthritis, diabetes, or water retention during pregnancy and menopause. Repetitive action such as using power tools may make the problem worse.

Signs/Symptoms

You'll experience loss of feeling in part of the hand, usually in the thumb, index, and middle fingers. Pain in the wrist and palm is sometimes accompanied by a sharp pain that shoots from the wrist up the arm, especially at night. Other symptoms include stiffness of the wrist in the morning, cramping of the hands, inability to make a fist, weakness in the thumb, a feeling of burning in the fingers, and a tendency to drop things.

Care

The problem may clear up on its own. Wearing a splint on the wrist will help; and your doctor can prescribe medications to reduce the pressure on the nerve. Sometimes, however, surgery is needed to free the pinched nerve.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

  • If your doctor prescribes medication to help reduce swelling, take it exactly as directed.
  • If your doctor recommends a splint to keep your wrist from bending, it is especially important to leave it on at night. Wear it as long as you have pain and numbness in your hand--from 1 to 2 months.
  • If you have pain at night, it may help to rub or shake your hand, or to hang your hand over the side of the bed.
  • To speed healing, you must give your wrist a rest and stop the activity that caused the problem. If your symptoms are work-related, you may need to talk with your employer about changing to a job that doesn't require as much wrist action.

Call Your Doctor If...

  • There is no improvement after 2 weeks of care.
  • You develop new, unexplained symptoms.
Return to top
text continues below
 Email this page |   Printer friendly |   Bookmark this page
HONcode logo
We comply with the HONcode standard for health trust worthy information: verify here.
More info from:

HealthCentral.com's
Breast Cancer Site

Most Viewed
Top Breast Cancer Drugs
More 

Latest News

  • Blood Clots in Cancer Patients
  • Intervention Boosts Breast Cancer Survival
  • Genetic Mysteries of Breast Cancer
  • Women may ignore cancer-related lymphedema: survey
  • Cancer Linked to Behavior in Elderly
    • More 

    Learn More

    Breast Cancer Related Drugs

    View All
    Poll
    Which of these drugs are you taking?

    view results
    More info from

    HealthCentral.com's
    Breast Cancer Site

    View all conditions
    PR Newswire
    advertisement

    Featured Advertiser Links
    Note: All clinical content on this site is physician-reviewed, except material generated by our community members.
    Featuring Content From:
    • Harvard Health Publications
    • A.D.A.M.
    • HealthDay: News for Healthier Living
    • Thomson PDR
    • Ivanhoe Broadcast News

    By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on HealthSquare.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional mediscal care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2004-2008. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

    • HonCode: Health on the Net Foundation
    • TRUSTe Certified Privacy