

Individuals with mild symptoms may find that their condition improves without treatment within a few months, especially if they are able to reduce repetitive movements that might have caused CTS in the first place. Treatment aims to relieve symptoms and slow the progression of CTS by reducing pressure on the median nerve. Repetitive movements from activities such as knitting can also increase the risk of CTS. stablehands, painters, and carpenters who press tools into the palm.poultry- or meat-processing workers who are deboning and cutting.painters who repeatedly use a spray gun.office workers using mouse and keyboard.musicians using a bow for a stringed instrument.


factory, farm, or mechanical workers who wear tight gloves.check-out cashiers using laser scanners.assembly-line workers handling objects on the conveyor belt.farmers, specifically those milking cows.According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, the following occupations belong in that category: any kind of swelling or inflammation around the tendonsĬertain occupations may put a person at a greater risk of developing CTS.physical trauma, such as dislocation or fracture of the wrist.inflammatory, degenerative, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).pregnancy, for example, because of edema or fluid retention.Some of the more common causes of CTS include: Sometimes, however, there is no clear cause. However, it is more likely if a person frequently uses extremes of wrist motion, if they are exposed to vibration, and if they repeatedly use their fingers - for example, when typing. Pressure on this nerve can lead to pain, numbness, and weakness in the hand and wrist, and this may cause pain to radiate up the arm and even to the shoulder.ĬTS can develop for various reasons. It does not, however, control the little finger. The median nerve also controls the muscle that brings the thumb across the palm to touch the little finger. Sensations to the palm, the thumb, and three other fingers are controlled by the median nerve. The carpal tunnel can sometimes narrow because the tendons become irritated and inflamed or because some other swelling puts pressure on the median nerve. The median nerve and tendons are also in the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel, also known as the carpal canal, is a narrow, rigid passageway of bones and ligaments at the base of the hand. The sensation of tingling, burning, and pain may worsen if the arm or hand has been in the same position for a long time. Symptoms tend to emerge or get worse after using the affected hand. If left untreated, the muscles at the base of the thumb may wither away, and the person may no longer be able to tell hot from cold with the thumb and finger. Opening a bottle of soda, doing up buttons, or typing on a keyboard can become a challenge. A person may lose grip strength and find it harder to form a fist or grasp small objects. They may extend to the rest of the hand and into the forearm.Īs the condition progresses, symptoms may persist during waking hours. These symptoms occur in the thumb and the two fingers next to it, as well as in half of the ring finger. The discomfort may wake them repeatedly during the night. Individuals may feel the need to “shake out” their hands when they wake up. Symptoms may initially appear at night or upon waking up in the morning. CTS symptoms tend to develop gradually over time.
