Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a compression of the median nerve as is passes through the wrist crease and into the palm. When this compression happens for too long or is severe enough, a person may experience issues. These symptoms may include numbness/tingling of fingers 1-3, loss of dexterity, weakness, muscle atrophy, and feeling the need to shake out the hand. Quite frequently, individuals will also experience symptoms at night due to curling of the wrists when sleeping.

Typically, one of the 1^st symptoms to appear is the numbness/tingling of the fingers, often at night. When this happens often doctors will prescribe night splits. This is an attempt to alter the wrist position and reduce the compression. For some individuals this may be enough to reduce the symptoms. Additionally, many folks attempt wrist “stretches” which may be helpful for some.

When people search the internet for treatment options, often surgery is high on the search list. However, surgery should not be the 1^st option considered and may not need to happen at all. Yes, plenty of individuals undergo this procedure every year, but a long-term study by Fernandez-de-las-Penas shows conservative care is equal to surgery. This means surgery may not be necessary for carpal tunnel issues provided the proper care is provided.

An important thing to consider with this condition relative to treatment success is how long a person waits to seek care. As with many conditions, the longer a person waits to seek care, the slower the outcome or poorer the results. In the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, a person is more likely to achieve success if they seek care early. It is important to seek care before any weakness or muscle atrophy sets in. Regardless, a person’s 1^st stop should they feel they are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome is to visit a muscle and joint expert. This expert will be able to properly diagnose and treat this condition…and if necessary refer onto another medical professional if the person is not responding well to treatment.

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