What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Causes and Symptoms

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common nerve compression conditions, affecting the hand and often disrupting sleep and daily tasks well before people realise what's causing it.

What's Actually Happening

The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage of bone and ligament at the base of the hand, through which the median nerve and several tendons pass. When tissue within the tunnel swells or thickens, the median nerve gets compressed, producing the characteristic numbness and tingling.

Common Symptoms

• Numbness or tingling in the thumb, index, middle, and part of the ring finger
• Symptoms that worsen at night, sometimes waking you from sleep
• A sense of hand weakness or clumsiness
• In more advanced cases, visible wasting of the muscle at the base of the thumb

What Causes It

Carpal tunnel syndrome is often linked to repetitive hand use, pregnancy (due to fluid retention), certain medical conditions such as diabetes or thyroid disorders, and sometimes has no single identifiable cause. It becomes more common with age and is more frequent in women than men.

Learn more on the carpal tunnel release procedure page.