Carpal tunnel syndrome

Question 1

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 1

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a medical condition due to compression of the median nerve as it travels through the wrist at the carpal tunnel

Question 2

What are the main symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 2

People with CTS experience numbness, tingling, or burning sensations in the thumb and fingers, in particular the index and middle fingers and radial half of the ring finger, because these receive their sensory and motor function (muscle control) from the median nerve.

Symptoms typically start gradually and during the night. Pain may extend up the arm

Question 3

What are risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 3

obesity, repetitive wrist work, pregnancy, genetics, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Question 4

A 58 year old woman has pain and pins and needles in her hand associated with loss of sensation over the thumb, index and middle fingers. She also has some weakness in her hand.

Which muscle is most likely to be weak?

A) Abductor digiti minimi
B) Abductor pollicis brevis
C) Extensor carpi ulnaris
D) First dorsal interosseous
E) Flexor digitorum profundus

Answer 4

Abductor pollicis brevis – patient has carpal tunnel, inneration of abductor pollicis brevis is innervated by median nerve AFTER carpal tunnel so will be affected.

Flexor digitorum profundus also partially innervated by median nerve but innervation is supplied BEFORE the capal tunnel so will not be affected by carpal tunnel.

Question 5

How is carpal tunnel syndrome managed?

Answer 5

Physiotherapy, steroids either orally or injected locally, splinting, and surgical release of the transverse carpal ligament.

Question 6

What are the complications of carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 6

Muscle wasting