What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Interview for Canal 1 TV Ecuador
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a very common and poorly understood condition; so much so that in recent years it has received a lot of attention from the media, yet not even the scientific community fully understands it.
The media classifies it as an “occupational disease,” since they tend to associate it with repetitive activities such as typing or factory assembly line work, given that the pain manifests in the hands. However, public perception is mistaken, and the reality is quite different. The cause is not keyboard use, although repetitive activities, like typing, can aggravate it. “Carpal tunnel syndrome” means there is a compression of the median nerve in the hand.
This nerve is situated inside a tunnel whose floor and side walls are formed by the carpal bones, while the roof is formed by a structure called the “transverse carpal ligament.” In addition to the median nerve, nine tendons that provide flexion to the fingers pass through the canal. When the membrane covering these tendons becomes inflamed, it causes a reduction in space, provoking compression of the nerve.
This compression of the nerve is what produces the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The key to understanding this syndrome is to view it as a “pinched nerve.” The symptoms most frequently associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are numbness and tingling in the hand. Symptoms usually occur at night, and the hands remain numb upon waking in the morning.
Frequently, pain is felt in the wrist along with weakness in the hand, especially in the thumb. If allowed to progress without treatment for a prolonged period, the muscle at the base of the thumb may atrophy.
The diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is based on a simple physical examination in the office and the presenting symptoms. The diagnosis is easily confirmed with a nerve conduction study, which measures the speed and latency of electrical impulses through the nerve.
This study helps the doctor determine if the patient suffers from median nerve compression. This condition is more common in middle-aged women, usually those who are peri-menopausal.
It can also be caused by chronic conditions such as diabetes, gout, or thyroid disease; it is also very common in women during the third trimester of pregnancy or due to rapid weight gain. In cases where the person does not suffer from these conditions, the cause is said to be idiopathic, which means the cause is unknown
