Do I Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
The symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist, either directly by the transverse carpal ligament or indirectly by increased pressure within the carpal tunnel caused by swelling of the contents of the carpal tunnel.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can vary but usually consist of numbness and tingling in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and one side of the ring finger. This pattern of numbness in the hand can vary but usually the little finger is not involved, unless the ulnar nerve is also affected.
The base of thumb muscles can also be affected in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and weakness or wasting of these muscles can occur. Often the symptoms of numbness occur at night due to the wrist being either excessively flexed or extended. Symptoms can also occur during the day with activity such as driving or typing. Sometimes a feeling of clumsiness or loss of dexterity when manipulating small objects is a symptom of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
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(Picture courtesy of Google)
Usually if the the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are mild or the NCS are normal conservative or non-surgical management is tried. These treatments include splinting (particularly at night), hand therapy, stretches of the palm and median nerve, oral medication such as NSAIDs like Ibuprofen and finally corticosteroid injection into the carpal tunnel may be tried.
Another novel treatment is PRP or platelet rich plasma injections. There is evidence that PRP injections may help reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
At the Carpal Tunnel Clinic Gold Coast we offer image guided injections of corticosteroid and PRP under ultrasound guidance which is much safer and more accurate than injections without image guidance. Some doctors are still happy to perform these injections without ultrasound guidance and it is up to your individual doctor to decide how to perform the injection.
Often doctors or GPs will organise Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) to confirm the diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Sometimes the diagnosis is so obvious that NCS are not needed.
Click Here to visit YourMD to see if you have carpal tunnel syndrome. Once on the YourMD website, click on the symptom checker button on the top right and follow the prompts.
If you are on your phone you might have to click the menu to find and select the symptom checker button on the YourMD site. If you think you have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome call our staff for assistance on 5531 2222 or request an appointment at the Carpal Tunnel Clinic Gold Coast by clicking on this link (Click Here).
Ultimately, most patients with carpal tunnel syndrome will require surgery to cut the transverse ligament and release the carpal tunnel. This will offer a lasting cure in most cases, although, in a small percentage of people carpal tunnel syndrome can recur many years later. At the Carpal Tunnel Clinic Gold Coast we offer the revolutionary procedure called the Ultra-Minimally Invasive Carpal Tunnel Release or Ultrasound Guide Carpal Tunnel Release (USGCTR).