Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful condition caused by pressure on the median nerve, which passes through a narrow passage in the wrist. The carpal tunnel is located on the palm side of the wrist. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness, tingling, and burning in the fingers and thumb.
Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome depends on its severity. Mild cases can usually be treated with splints or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen sodium (Aleve). A doctor will also likely recommend wearing a splint at night and taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium.
If these treatments don’t work, surgery may be recommended to decompress the nerve by removing excess tissue around it or remove the nerve, called a transposition so that a person regains feeling and movement in that part again.
