Carpal tunnel syndrome treatment depends upon the severity of symptoms. The treatment starts with conservative options like exercises, or wearing wrist splints. Surgical decompression of the Carpal tunnel is required when symptoms become severe and disabling
Carpal tunnel Syndrome is the commonest entrapment neuropathy affecting humans. It roughly affects 2-4% of adults, with slight preponderance in females. It affects both hands in more than 50% of all cases.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the Median nerve, while it courses through the Carpal tunnel across the wrist. The Median nerve supplies the small muscles that control movements of our thumb. It also carries sensation from the palm side of the thumb, index and middle fingers.
If left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome may worsen and progress to permanent sensory loss and thumb weakness in some cases.
What is Carpal Tunnel?
Carpal tunnel is a closed space in our wrist, which is bound by small bones of wrist on one side, and a tough ligament forming the roof of the tunnel. The strong ligament is called the ‘Transverse carpal ligament’.
Within this closed space, Median nerve passes along with nine tendons from the forearm into the wrist. Therefore, any reduction in space within this canal will compress the Median nerve.
What are the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Numbness, tingling, burning in affected hand. The pain and tingling typically occur along the distribution of the Median nerve, that includes thumb, index and the middle finger. The symptoms are worse at night. Sometimes, the pain may also involve the forearm as well. As the compression worsens, grip becomes weak because of weakness of thumb muscles supplied by the nerve. The prominence at the base of the thumb, called the ‘Thenar eminence’ formed by the bulk of the muscles of the thumb becomes flat with chronic compression.
What are the risk factors for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
The exact cause is still unknown, and can be multi-factorial. Some of the commonest factors associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are listed below.
- Occupations with repetitive hand movements, or vibrations
- Hypothyroidism
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Diabetes
- Trauma
- Amyloidosis
- Sarcoidosis
Family history and female gender are also important risk factors for Carpal tunnel syndrome.
How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome diagnosed?
High suspicion on history is the first step in diagnosing this condition. Pain and paresthesias in the typical distribution of the nerve point to compression of the nerve in the tunnel. The doctor will check your sensations in the hand and grip.
Tapping at the wrist, flexing the wrist, or holding the wrist elevated should induce similar pain and tingling that the patient normally experiences.
Nerve conduction study
A nerve conduction study is a test that measures how fast signals are transmitted through the nerves. During the test, electrodes are placed on your hand and wrist and a small electrical current is used to stimulate the nerves in the finger, wrist and, sometimes, elbow. The conduction of stimulating current is slowed across the compressed segment.
Grading of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome severity.
It is categorised on a scale of 0-6 based on the degree of slowing of nerve conduction velocities. Grade 0 is normal, and grade 6 is the most severe form. In grade 6 no electrical activity is recordable.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome treatment-Non surgical options?
Mild symptoms of Carpal tunnel syndrome are treated with non-surgical methods such as reducing or eliminating repeated hand movements. This may require using wrist splints or even a job change.
Sooner the treatment is started, better is the chance of preservation of complete function of the nerve.
Conservative management
Wrist splints prevent bending of wrist and maintain the wrist position in a neutral position. It can be worn during night or throughout the day for better results.
If the pain is very severe, then local injection of steroids is advisable. Steroids reduce swelling and improve pain. Single injection is usually recommended to begin with. If the condition responds well to one injection but then recurs, the treatment may be repeated. Oral steroids may also be tried for faster pain relief. However, local steroid injections have shown better and more sustained results as compared to oral steroids.
Carpal Tunnel syndrome treatment- Surgical release
Surgery for CTS is known as carpal tunnel decompression or carpal tunnel release surgery and is usually performed on an outpatient basis. The procedure lasts approximately 25-30 minutes and is usually performed under local anesthesia.
In case of bilateral Carpal tunnel syndrome, only one hand, usually the one with more severe symptoms is operated first. The other side is operated after 3-4 weeks.
During surgery the roof of the carpal tunnel, known as the carpal ligament, is cut to reduce pressure on the median nerve in the wrist.
The surgery is performed as open surgery, which involves making a single cut in the wrist, and is the traditional type of operation. The ligament is cut under vision which leads to widening of the carpal tunnel.
A newer version called Minimally invasive or keyhole surgery, uses special instruments and a long tube with a light at one end and an eyepiece at the other are inserted through small cuts in your wrist, and sometimes your palm. This allows the surgeon to see the carpal ligament on a monitor throughout the operation.
How long does it take for recovery after surgery?
After the surgery, analgesics are prescribed. Hand elevation and cold packs help in reducing swelling from the surgery. Keep your fingers moving. One can return to normal job within a couple of weeks.
Listen to the podcast of this blog here-
https://anchor.fm/dr-harnarayan-singh/embed/episodes/Carpal-Tunnel-Syndrome-Surgery-est0gg
Disclaimer- This article is meant for only general public awareness and education. The text can not substitute expert medical advice. Please consult your doctor if you experience these symptoms.
Source- Carpal tunnel syndrome: clinical features, diagnosis, and management
Current approaches for carpal tunnel syndrome
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