Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve gets trapped in the carpal tunnel - a specific space (a tunnel) in the wrist which houses the median nerve and several tendons. The median nerve sends sensation to CERTAIN fingers in the hand (see picture). If your pain/numbness/tingling is in other areas (for example, the whole hand) then the nerve is almost positively being irritated somewhere else! Thus, treating you for "carpal tunnel syndrome" probably won't do the trick. In most instances the nerve is being irritated in the neck; in rare instances the nerve could also be getting pinched in the shoulder area. You don't need to have neck or shoulder pain for this to be the case. In many patients, the only symptom they have from a pinched nerve in the neck is pain or tingling somewhere else in the arm or hand. As with any issue, it's extremely important to diagnose the problem correctly. Then you get to the work of treating it correctly!