musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Key Points
Although carpal tunnel syndrome has many risk factors, most cases are idiopathic. Typical symptoms include wrist and hand pain with tingling and numbness along the palmar side of the thumb, the index and middle fingers, and the radial half of the ring finger. Reproducing symptoms with wrist flexion or pressure over the median nerve can provide helpful diagnostic clues. Treat first with ergonomic corrections, then try splinting and analgesics, corticosteroid injection, and, for weakness, muscle wasting, and/or severe unresponsive symptoms, surgical decompression. 