Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by pain and numbness in the hands and wrists and is common in the thumb, index finger and middle finger.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. Symptoms can be categorized into three time periods: early, middle and late.
In the early stage, it is characterized by intermittent abnormalities and dullness of sensation in the hands and wrists and the frequency may increase gradually. Late at night, there will be burning pain accompanied by numbness and pins and needles, the patient can shake the wrist to alleviate the discomfort.
In the middle stage, there may be persistent numbness and pain in the fingers, followed by decreased or even loss of sensation. In severe cases, the numbness and pain may extend to the elbows and shoulders.
In the late stage, the patient will experience muscle atrophy in the area of the greater trochanter, loss of muscle strength, and in the most severe cases, complete loss of sensation in the median innervated area.
In conclusion, when patients are found to have early carpal tunnel syndrome they should go to the orthopedic department of the hospital to determine the location of the lesion and the diagnosis through electromyography and ultrasound for treatment.