Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), or median neuropathy at the wrist, is a medical condition in which the median nerve is compressed at the wrist, leading to paresthesias, numbness and muscle weakness in the hand. Night symptoms and waking at night is a characteristic of established carpal tunnel syndrome. They can be managed effectively with night-time wrist splinting in most patients.
The definitive treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome is carpal tun...
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Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), or median neuropathy at the wrist, is a medical condition in which the median nerve is compressed at the wrist, leading to paresthesias, numbness and muscle weakness in the hand. Night symptoms and waking at night is a characteristic of established carpal tunnel syndrome. They can be managed effectively with night-time wrist splinting in most patients.
The definitive treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome is carpal tunnel release surgery. This is effective at relieving symptoms and preventing further nerve damage, but established nerve dysfunction in the form of static (constant) numbness, atrophy, or weakness are usually permanent.
Most cases of CTS are idiopathic (without a specific cause). Some patients are genetically predisposed to develop the condition.
The diagnosis of CTS is often misapplied to patients who have activity-related arm pain, such as RSI.
Although the condition was first noted in medical literature in the early 20th century, the first...
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