Carpal Tunnel

What Causes Carpal Tunnel?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve which runs through the carpal tunnel. The median nerve is located on the side of your palm closest to your thumb and it provides sensation to your thumb, index finger, middle finger, and part of your ring finger. Pressure or swelling within the carpal tunnel causes the median nerve to be compressed which leads to numbness, tingling, stiffness, or weakness in your hand or wrist.

This condition can occur in one or both of your hands. Sometimes other medical conditions can cause nerve compression in the carpal tunnel that can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Medical conditions that are linked to carpal tunnel syndrome include high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Diagnosing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you are experiencing symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, contact AICA Orthopedics in Atlanta. Our team of specialists will perform a physical examination of the wrist, hand, shoulder, and neck to check for nerve pressure or compression. Doctors check for sensitivity, tenderness, inflammation, and swelling. They will also check the sensations in your hand and fingers as well as test your hand strength.

When visiting AICA to get a diagnosis of the pain in your wrist, or to verify that you have carpal tunnel, you may be administered a physical examination and a number of tests.

A doctor’s physical examination will thoroughly evaluate the wrist, hand, shoulder, and neck. During this test, the doctor is looking specifically for signs of any kind of deformity within the body, including any signs of swelling and tenderness. These can be indicators of nerve pressure that is present in your wrist.

Diagnostic tests administered may include a nerve conduction study (NCS), which measures the nerve impulses and their conduction speed through the wrist. If the test reveals that you have a slower-than-normal conduction speed, you may likely have carpal tunnel syndrome.

You may also be administered an EMG (electromyograph) to confirm the diagnosis of carpal tunnel or any other related nerve disorder. An EMG is similar to the NCS although studies the muscle itself and can often measure whether or not pressure on the median nerve has caused any early denervation.

In some cases, other imaging tests may be administered during the diagnosis process to rule out other conditions, including x-rays, MRIs, Ultrasounds, CT scans, and more.