Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: What Happens

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What Happens

The tingling, numbness, and pain of carpal tunnel syndrome usually develop gradually. Symptoms often get worse if you do not stop or change an activity that is helping to cause the condition.

In the early stages of carpal tunnel syndrome, you may sometimes lose some feeling in your hand. Most mild cases of carpal tunnel syndrome get better with treatment. Usually there is no permanent damage to the median nerve. Your symptoms may improve by themselves when:

• Fluid buildup decreases, such as after pregnancy.
• You change or stop the activity that has caused your carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Other health problems that cause or contribute to your carpal tunnel symptoms improve.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can eventually lead to constant numbness in the fingers or hand and some loss of strength and coordination. Nonsurgical treatment may still be helpful at this point.

Long-standing carpal tunnel syndrome can cause:

• A loss of feeling and coordination in the fingers and hand. The thumb muscles can become weak and waste away (atrophy), making it difficult to grip or hold objects.
• Permanent damage to the median nerve that results in difficulty using the hand. A damaged nerve may require surgery, which may not completely restore the feeling and coordination to the fingers and hand.

When compared with other illnesses and injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common causes of absence from work.

Last updated:	October 29, 2008
Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, David Pichora, MD, FRCSC - Orthopedic Surgery
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC