Lots of people experience a tingling sensation in their wrists, and immediately conclude that they have carpal tunnel syndrome. However, wrist pain can be a result of an accumulation of things such as sprains, stiffness, continued stress, and even fractures.

Carpal tunnel syndrome refers to the passage through which the median nerve as it passes into the hand. The median nerve allows for sensation to your fingers. The tunnel is naturally narrow, so swelling results in increased constriction of the nerve. When the swelling is so much that the nerve is pinched, that’s when you develop carpal tunnel syndrome.

Here are some of the symptoms of carpal tunnel.

Weakness

One of the signs of carpal tunnel syndrome is weakness in your wrists and hands. This may result in you dropping objects while holding them. Carpal tunnel affects the sensation in your hands, which means that you feel like you can’t hold things anymore. You may also be having difficulty performing daily tasks such as buttoning up your shirts or holding a book.

Swelling and Pain

Another significant symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome is feeling that your wrists and fingers are swollen. Although it may not look like it, you feel like your hands and fingers are swollen. You may also be constantly feeling shooting pains in your forearms or elbows. This can extend all the way to the neck and shoulder, and you may be experiencing cramps in your muscles. Your muscles may be stiff in the morning, and you might even wake up at night because your wrists are bent. This is the result of the accumulation of fluid which doesn’t drain out properly, affecting the median nerve.

A woman wearing a watch and typing on a laptop

Tingling and Numbness

Tingling sensations and numbness are also symptoms of carpal tunnel. You’ll probably feel it in your index, middle, and half of the ring finger along with the thumb. You might feel a sensation like an electric shock, which can travel up your arm. These symptoms can occur while performing daily tasks such as holding a book, a steering wheel, or even while typing on your phone.

Do you think you might have carpal tunnel syndrome? Get your wrist checked out by the certified hand therapists at Able Hands Rehab. We provide professional physical therapy for hand injury and custom hand splinting services. Trusted for over 25 years, we offer the leading occupational hand therapy in Freehold NJ, Edison NJ and Old Bridge,NJ.

Contact us at 732-727-7333 or email at ablehandsrehab@gmail.com to book an appointment!