Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Which Nerve?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a painful condition that affects your hand. This happens when the nerve (median nerve) within your wrist gets compressed.

A nerve is a fiber that connects the brain and spinal cord with various parts of the body (receptor organs). Nerves conduct impulses from the brain/spinal cord to the receptor organs as well as conducting impulses from the receptor organs back to the brain/spinal cord.

The network of nerves which branches from the spinal nerve and supplies the arms and parts of the shoulder is called the brachial plexus. As one of the main nerves, the median nerve branches from the brachial plexus.

The branches of the median nerve include the anterior interosseous nerve of forearm, common palmar digital nerves, and muscular and palmar branches, and a communicating branch with the ulnar nerve. This median nerve passes through the canal within the wrist, and when it gets compressed there, carpal tunnel pain occurs.

The median nerve and nine flexor tendons pass through the carpal tunnel or canal which is a tiny passageway. Compression of the median nerve can happen when any one of the flexor tendons gets inflamed which results in the narrowing of the canal.

The distribution of the median nerve is into the skin on front of lateral part of the hand, most of flexor muscles of front of forearm, most of short muscles of thumb and elbow, joint, and many joints of hand. General sensory is its modality.

What is the outcome when the median nerve gets compressed within the wrist in the case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? An interruption of the conduction of impulses from the sensory nerve fibers occurs when the median nerve gets squeezed by any factor.

A partial or total lack of sensation in the hand is the result of this interruption. This is the numbness experienced by the afflicted person. There is often tingling felt with the numbness.

This numbness can be so intense at night that it can wake one from sleep. This intense numbness is referred to as the carpal tunnel pain.

When people sleep at night, they tend to flex their wrist resulting to the compression of the median nerve. Putting on a wrist brace at this time helps to keep the wrist in an unbent position.

When you experience persistent numbness and tingling sensation in your palm and fingers, do not ignore the symptoms. Consult your doctor immediately.

Article Written By Verna Yvanoff

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