Wrist and hand topic
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage on the palm side of your wrist. It protects the median nerve and the tendons that bend your fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the name for too much pressure on that nerve at the wrist.
How symptoms are often described
At night
Many people describe waking with numbness, tingling or burning in the thumb, index and middle fingers.
During the day
Symptoms may come on with gripping, holding a phone, computer use or holding something for a long time. Some people notice a weaker grip, clumsiness, or pain that reaches up toward the elbow.
What it is often linked with
- Repeated hand and wrist motions, forceful gripping and vibrating tools
- Wrist fractures or arthritis
- Pregnancy, menopause, thyroid changes, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis
Studies have not proved that typing on a computer causes carpal tunnel syndrome.
What an evaluation may look at
- Your history: any injury, repeated work or sport tasks, care and tests so far, and current symptoms.
- Your neck, shoulder and arm, to check for other sources of hand symptoms.
- Grip strength, sensation, how your forearm, wrist and hand move, and gentle position or tapping tests at the wrist.
- If nerve studies or X-rays may be needed, your physical therapist may refer you to a physician.
How Physical Therapy may fit
A Shanti physical therapist begins with an evaluation. If Physical Therapy looks like a good fit, the plan is built around what the evaluation shows and the tasks you want to get back to. Depending on the findings, a plan may use some, all or none of these approaches:
- Therapeutic exercise
- Manual therapy
- Ergonomic evaluation and training
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Modalities
When to contact a medical professional first
See the full safety checklist
- Your fingers keep losing feeling, you are dropping things, or the muscles of your hand look smaller.
- Numbness, tingling or weakness comes with pain and does not get better with rest.
- You cannot move your wrist, hand or a finger after an injury — get emergency care.
Request an appointment
Send a request and we will contact you by the next business day. Submitting a request does not confirm an appointment; your appointment is confirmed only after the clinic responds.