How to treat CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME at home (and when to get medical advice) | Doctor explains

In this video Dr O'Donovan explains what carpal tunnel syndrome is, how to treat it at home (including 3 exercises to do at home for carpal tunnel syndrome) and when you should seek medical advice.

What is it?

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition where the median nerve is compressed where it passes through a short tunnel at the wrist.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom is altered feeling in the hand, affecting the thumb index, middle and ring fingers; it is unusual for the little finger to be involved. Many people describe the altered feeling as tingling. Tingling is often worse at night or first thing in the morning. It may be provoked by activities that involve gripping an object, for example a mobile telephone or newspaper, especially if the hand is elevated. In the early stages the symptoms of tingling intermittent and sensation will return to normal. If the condition worsens, the altered feeling may become continuous, with numbness in the fingers and thumb together with weakness and wasting of the muscles at the base of the thumb. Sufferers often described a feeling of clumsiness and drop objects easily. CTS may be associated with pain in the wrist and forearm.

What is the treatment?

Non-surgical treatments include the use of splints, especially at night, and steroid injection into the carpal tunnel. CTS occurring in pregnancy often resolves after the baby is born.

Surgery is frequently required. The operation involves opening the roof of the tunnel to reduce the pressure on the nerve (see diagram: the roof of the carpal tunnel is called the flexor retinaculum). The most common method involves an incision over the tunnel at the wrist, opening the roof under direct vision. In an alternative keyhole method (endoscopic release) the roof is opened with instruments inserted through one or two small incisions. The outcomes of the two techniques are similar and your surgeon can discuss the most appropriate method. The surgery may be performed under local anaesthesia, regional anaesthesia (injected at the shoulder to numb the entire arm) or general anaesthesia.

The outcome is usually a satisfactory resolution of the symptoms. Night pain and tingling usually disappear within a few days. In severe cases, improvement of constant numbness and muscle weakness may be slow or incomplete. It generally takes about three months to regain full strength and a fully comfortable scar.

TIMELINE:

00:00 - Introduction
00:33 - Things to do at home
01:44 - Three hand exercises to do at home
03:10 - When to seek medical input

FURTHER RESOURCES:

Further information via NHS website about carpal tunnel (UK):

Mayo Clinic information on carpal tunnel syndrome (USA):

British Society for Surgery of the Hand (UK):

Royal College of Surgeons of England - information on carpal tunnel surgery (UK):

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Disclaimer:

The video is intended as an educational resource only. The information within this video or on this channel isn't designed to replace professional input, so if you have any medical issues please consult a medical provider. No professional relationship is being created by watching this video. Dr. O’Donovan cannot give any individual medical advice. All information should be verified for accuracy by the individual user. Dr O’Donovan accepts no responsibility for individual interpretation of data, although it is always accurate to the best of his knowledge at the time of the video being published. This is an EDUCATIONAL video. Images are used in accordance with fair use guidelines.

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Content provided via YouTube is for general information purposes ONLY. Information videos are not produced to provide individualised medical advice. Medical education videos on Doctor O'Donovan are not a substitute for professional professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. NEVER ignore professional medical advice because of something you have heard here. ALWAYS consult your doctor regarding any concerns about your condition or treatment.

Information accurate as of 5th March 2023.

[kathrynbrown]

ICE PACKS AND WHEN USING THE SPLINTS AT NIGHT STRAP THEM SUCKERS AS TIGHT AS U CAN HANDEL IT. ULL THANK ME LATER

[laugustam]

Yoga has helped me a lot when carpal tunnel was very bad for a long time during and post pregnancy.

[brendahamilton]

Ive been doing it all wrong! HEAT instead of ice, wearing brace during the day, and no exercises, I will be doing it yout way now!!!

[AbbyMacy]

Great information going to try these exercises, the tingling is driving me nuts thanks.

[NDL]

Hope you read this, Doctor. I had EMG/NCS tests done by a neurologist. It showed mildly increased latency in both median, and ulnar nerves. All other parameters were within normal range. I don’t experience the typical tingling, numbness, and pain. Most of my symptoms are motor related. My fingers feel stiff and rigid, almost arthritic. You know how it feels when you try to wiggle your fingers when they’ve been out in the cold? That’s how it feels, except I live in Florida. His report reads as a mild carpal tunnel syndrome, but I think it’s something different, because it doesn’t match up with the symptoms. Like I said, I don’t get the typical numbness, tingling, burning, pain, and it does not get worse at night. It seems strictly related to the motor neurons.

EMG/NCS tests showed that I also have neuropathy in my lower legs and feet. Based upon that, and my clinical exam, the neurologist was convinced I had a genetic/hereditary type neuropathy, such as mild case of Charcot Marie tooth disease. I wonder if that’s true and if it’s affecting my hands. The genetic test for that came back negative for CMT. I do have the signature high arches with hammer toes.

[winburna]

I've read online that heat treatment is better than cold.

[ColleenBee]

Very excellent video! Informative for everything I wanted to know and more, in regards to my concerns.

[wmtv]

Thanks Doc, very helpful tips and informative.❤

[scottkenzig]

I've developed carpet tunnel after 22years of sandblasting and your information was amazing and very helpful 👏. Thanks mate 👍 👌

[emg]

I wasn't expecting to already be afflicted with this by age 40. I tried my best to avoid the carpool lane while driving through tunnels, but my efforts were futile.

[annareneegunter]

Thank you, this information was very helpful.

[robertaranda]

Thank you for the advice. Had the nerve conductor testing done and had the shots! The numbing returned . Will try your exercises. Hopefully I won’t need the shots or surgery.

[mikesmokes]

Thank you so much man ik the exercises arent a permanent fix but they worked quite nicely especially the downward finger touch stretch that legit fixed my pain completely for a while

[zainulabideen]

Can i do Power lifting even as I do have mild CTS

[theohendricks]

can you do physical exercises like weight training and push-ups, when experiencing these symptoms? what are the do's and don'ts?

[JesusandMeJohnnyD]

My fingers start to go numb after about 2 minutes of writing. My pointer finger and thumb are the ones. I'm a commercial painter so I hold the trigger on a paint gun all day. Any recommendations?

[justinr]

I just learned what this is and I'm sure I have it. I'll check with my doctor to confirm though. Mine comes from holding drink trays for hours on end at work.

[swadlol]

I can feel it in my arm and jaw and eye now.

[mindymitchell]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention any strengthening exercises.

[djmarkanthonyspecialforces]

I’m a dj thanks for the video I have a lot of pain lately for work many hours at the same position and making the same movimenti