Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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A narrow tunnel in the wrist

EVIDENCEREVIEW 2

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Carpal tunnel syndrome is a nerve being squeezed inside the wrist, not an inflamed tendon. Turn your palm up and look at the base of the wrist. Under the skin, the wrist bones form a trough, and a band of ligament runs across the top of it. Together they make a narrow tunnel, the carpal tunnel. Through it run the tendons that bend the fingers, and one nerve: the median nerve.

The median nerve carries feeling from the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, so the typical picture is numbness, tingling, and pain in those three fingers. It is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment in the world (a nerve pinched where its path is narrow). Once you know it is a nerve, the rest makes sense: why those three fingers, why it is worst at night, and why treatment aims to take pressure off the nerve.

If the numbness becomes constant, the muscle at the base of the thumb gets thinner, or your hand keeps getting clumsier, the nerve is already losing function, and you should see a doctor in person soon.

Educational content, not medical advice — consult a clinician.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Read full story

Stop 1/5

A narrow tunnel in the wrist

EVIDENCEREVIEW 2

READ THE ORIGINAL

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a nerve being squeezed inside the wrist, not an inflamed tendon. Turn your palm up and look at the base of the wrist. Under the skin, the wrist bones form a trough, and a band of ligament runs across the top of it. Together they make a narrow tunnel, the carpal tunnel. Through it run the tendons that bend the fingers, and one nerve: the median nerve.

The median nerve carries feeling from the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, so the typical picture is numbness, tingling, and pain in those three fingers. It is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment in the world (a nerve pinched where its path is narrow). Once you know it is a nerve, the rest makes sense: why those three fingers, why it is worst at night, and why treatment aims to take pressure off the nerve.

If the numbness becomes constant, the muscle at the base of the thumb gets thinner, or your hand keeps getting clumsier, the nerve is already losing function, and you should see a doctor in person soon.

Educational content, not medical advice — consult a clinician.