Gender and age: women tend to develop carpal tunnel syndrome more than men and it is most frequently diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 60. Occupation: having a job that requires a lot of use of your hands, such as factory or assembly line work, puts you at a greater risk for the syndrome. Underlying conditions: those with metabolic disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, menopause, obesity, thyroid disorders, kidney failure, or diabetes have a greater chance at developing the condition. Lifestyle factors: smoking, high salt intake, sedentary lifestyle may increase your risk of carpal tunnel syndrome
Tingling in the hand, fingers or wrist. Numbness in the hand, fingers or wrist. Swelling in the wrist. Pain in the hand, fingers or wrist. [5] X Expert Source Joshua Grahlman, PT, DPT, FAFSPhysical Therapist & Entrepreneur Expert Interview. 8 September 2020. Weakness of the hand.
Symptoms generally show up gradually. Symptoms often first appear during the night. As the condition worsens, you’ll start to feel the symptoms during the day. Symptoms that do not go away with time (unlike in the case of a temporary injury) and gradually become worse as time moves forward.
Sit at a table and place your elbows on the table. Let your wrist fall to maximal flexion to increase the pressure in the carpal tunnel. Hold this position for at least one minute. Another way to do the test is to place the backs of both hands together in front of you, pointing fingers down (like an opposite prayer position). Any pain and tingling of hands, fingers and/or wrist and numbness in the fingers, specifically, at the height of thumb, forefinger, and a part of the middle finger, are positive results.
The Tinel’s sign is done by tapping the wrist and carpal tunnel with your fingers or a tendon hammer. If it causes tingling in the fingers, it is believed to be a positive test. The Tourniquet test is based on temporarily increasing the carpal tunnel pressure by applying a blood pressure cuff to the upper arm or forearm. Inflate the cuff between systolic and diastolic pressure to obstruct venous return from the arm and increasing blood volume in the hand. If this causes symptoms, the test is positive. However, don’t perform this test unless you are comfortable using a blood pressure cuff correctly. The hand elevation test is done by elevating the hands above the head for two minutes. If this causes symptoms, then the test is positive. The Durkan’s carpal compression test relies upon direct pressure applied over the carpal tunnel to increase the pressure. Press the carpal tunnel with your thumb or ask a friend to do this. If this causes symptoms, the test is positive. [9] X Research source
Remember, your doctor can diagnose the condition better if you’re detailed and do not leave any symptoms out. Be aware that your doctor may refer you to a specialist in neurology, surgery, orthopedics, or rheumatology, if needed for diagnosis or treatment.
A pre-assessment where they look over the area visually is required to give indication and direction for further tests. Your doctor may also perform Phalen’s test or other carpal tunnel tests in the office.
Once blood tests rule out other medical problems, additional imaging tests may be needed.
X-ray is usually used only to aid in the diagnosis or rule out other causes of pain (such as fractures and arthritis). Your doctor may use ultrasound to visualize the structure of the median nerve in your hand.
A mild painkiller can be administered prior to the test to reduce pain.
During the test, two electrodes are placed on your hand and wrist and a small shock is passed through the median nerve to detect if electrical impulses are slowed in the carpal tunnel. The results can indicate how much damage has occurred to your nerves.
