Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Last updated Thursday, February 10, 2005

Symptoms

What are symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:

• Pain, tingling, or numb fingers, especially the thumb, index and middle fingers
• Hand pain and numbness, especially at night
• Tingling in the entire hand
• Morning or daytime numbness relieved by shaking the hand
• Occasional hand weakness and loss of coordination, especially in the morning
• Pain travelling up the forearm as far as the shoulder
• A swollen feeling in the fingers--even though they may not be visibly swollen

How do the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome change over time?

CTS can begin suddenly or gradually.

At first the symptoms come and go, usually affected by excessive use of the hand. When the hand is rested, there may be no symptoms. As the condition worsens and pressure on the nerve becomes greater, the person may experience numbness all the time.

What conditions have similar sympoms or might be confused with carpal tunnel syndrome?

Although many medical conditions and activities are known to be related to carpal tunnel syndrome, most patients with carpal tunnel syndrome have no specific medical problem associated with it. Some conditions that are associated with carpal tunnel syndrome include:

• Thyroid disorders
• Diabetes
• Aging
• Arthritis
• Pregnancy or use of birth control pills (both may cause swelling in hands)
• Amyloidosis, a disease in which a protein substance collects in body organs

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