Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is very common. It is caused by pressure on the median nerve at the wrist. It may occur with arthritis or diabetes, but often there is no particular reason.

Symptoms include: -

• numbness and tingling in the hand

• difficulty with small objects like buttons and pins

• waking in the night with a numb hand, lifting the arm up, hanging it down and shaking it ‘back to life’

• numbness when driving or using the phone

• weakness of the hand grip

• pain is less common and may shoot down to the fingers or up the arm

Early on a wrist splint may help night time symptoms. A steroid injection at the wrist may give relief for a few months. However, if the symptoms are severe or are occurring during the day, then surgery is indicated. This is carried out under local anaesthetic as a day case, through a small incision at the base of the hand. 

There will be a dressing and stitches that need to be removed at 9 or 10 days.

The symptoms of night waking and pain normally are relieved immediately. Numbness takes time though and doesn’t always settle in older patients.