Elbow, Wrist & Hand
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Also called: Median nerve compression at the wrist
Compression of the median nerve in the wrist's tight tunnel — the most common nerve entrapment, producing night-waking tingling in the thumb-side fingers. Drivers include repetitive wrist postures, fluid shifts (pregnancy, thyroid), and metabolic factors. Early cases respond well to conservative care; advanced ones (weak, wasting) need timely escalation.
Common signs
- Numb/tingling thumb, index, middle (and half the ring) fingers
- Night waking with the need to shake the hand out
- Dropping objects; morning stiffness in the fingers
- Later: weakness of pinch and thumb-pad wasting
Seek help now if
- Visible thumb-pad wasting or constant numbness — advanced compression, don't delay evaluation
- Rapid progression
- Both hands + feet in a glove-stocking pattern (systemic neuropathy workup)
- New in pregnancy: common and manageable, but still assess
If any of these is sudden or severe, call 911 or go to an emergency room. For the others, get examined before you start self-care.
What to do first
- Night splints in neutral wrist position — the single best first move, worn nightly for 4–6 weeks
- Audit daytime wrist postures: keyboard/mouse setup, tool grips, vibration exposure
- Begin tendon and nerve gliding exercises; screen thyroid and blood sugar when the history points that way
The longer road
- Consistent splinting + ergonomics + glides resolves or controls most mild-moderate cases
- Electrodiagnostics grade persistent cases and time the escalation
- Surgical release is small, effective, and appropriately used before permanent nerve damage — the error is waiting past wasting, not the surgery itself
Natural healing options we use
- Night splinting protocol
- Nerve and tendon gliding program
- Manual therapy for forearm and carpal mechanics; chiropractic care for the full neck-to-hand chain
- B6-containing B-complex and omega-3 support; metabolic housekeeping
About imaging
Electrodiagnostics when persistent, severe, or pre-surgical; ultrasound emerging as an adjunct.
Daily self-care
- Splints every night, no skipping
- Micro-breaks and neutral-wrist setup at work
- Weekly pinch-strength and sensation self-check
How we can help
Keep working on it at home
Once you have been examined and cleared to load it, these free home programs cover this part of the body.