What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a medical condition that occurs when a nerve (median nerve) in the wrist is compressed. It is usually accompanied by several symptoms, such as spreading pain in your hands and arms, and numbness. It may also result in hand weakness and loss of ability to perform certain activities. In most cases, the condition starts slowly and gradually progresses into causing various symptoms. It occurs when pressure on the median nerve, a nerve that moves from the forearm to the hands, increases. This increase in pressure causes carpal tunnel pain. To reduce the pressure and carpal tunnel pain, doctors usually recommend a surgical procedure, known as carpal tunnel release. The procedure helps treat the symptoms and reduce compression on the nerve.