{"id":2312,"date":"2024-09-03T08:05:57","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T12:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/peripheralnervecenter\/?page_id=2312"},"modified":"2024-11-01T09:18:59","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T13:18:59","slug":"carpal-tunnel-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/peripheralnervecenter\/conditions-we-treat\/peripheral-nerve-compression\/carpal-tunnel-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Carpal Tunnel Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?<\/h2>\n
\"Image<\/a>
Image showing the areas of the wrist affected by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common peripheral nerve disorders. It is caused by compression of the median nerve as it travels through the wrist to the hand. This compression results in numbness and\/or aching pain in the thumb, index, and\u00a0middle fingers of the affected hand. These symptoms may be worse at night or with activities such as driving. As the condition worsens, grip strength may be decreased and there may be a visible difference in the size of the muscle at the base of the\u00a0thumb on the affected hand.<\/p>\n

What are the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome?<\/h2>\n

The exact cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is often unknown. It can be impacted by repetitive trauma or overuse. The nerve can also be compressed from thickening of the soft tissue in the wrist with chronic conditions like tendinitis or arthritis. Carpal tunnel syndrome has been associated with conditions such as pregnancy and obesity.<\/p>\n

How is carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed?<\/h2>\n