Carpal tunnel syndrome risk factors: who is more likely

What carpal tunnel syndrome is

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the name for a group of problems that includes numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in your wrist or hand. It is a very common condition that happens when a nerve in your wrist becomes squeezed (MedlinePlus).

The carpal tunnel is a narrow opening between the bones in your wrist and the ligament that holds them together. The median nerve runs from your lower arm through this tunnel into your hand, along with the tendons that bend your fingers. If the tendons become swollen or irritated inside the tunnel, they may press on the nerve (MedlinePlus). NIAMS adds that the median nerve gives feeling to the thumb, index and middle finger and part of the ring finger, but not the little finger (NIAMS).

Who is more likely to get it

Carpal tunnel syndrome usually happens only in adults. MedlinePlus says you are more likely to develop it if you (MedlinePlus):

• are a woman: women are three times more likely to have it than men;
• have a health condition that may affect structures in your wrist;
• do activities with repeated hand motions;
• have had a wrist injury;
• have a close relative who has had carpal tunnel syndrome, such as a parent, brother or sister.

Health conditions linked to it

In some cases the cause is unknown. It usually comes from a combination of things that affect the structures in your wrist (MedlinePlus). Health conditions MedlinePlus names include (MedlinePlus):

• diabetes (see the type 2 diabetes risk factors guide);
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• a cyst or tumor in your wrist;
• changes in certain hormones that may cause swelling from extra fluid in the body, such as an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), pregnancy and menopause;
• problems with the way your wrist is formed.

NIAMS lists similar medical conditions: problems with the pituitary gland or the thyroid gland, rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune diseases, diabetes or other metabolic disorders that make the nerves easier to compress, and fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause (NIAMS).

Work, hobbies and injuries

Doing the same wrist and hand movements over and over can play a part. MedlinePlus gives examples such as assembly line work, carpentry or using tools that vibrate, and knitting, gardening, or sports such as golf. Researchers are not sure whether long-term typing or computer use leads to carpal tunnel syndrome (MedlinePlus).

NIAMS lists these environmental factors: trauma or injury to the wrist, such as a sprain or fracture, that causes swelling; mechanical problems in the wrist joint; and repeated use of vibrating machinery (NIAMS). NIAMS also notes that researchers do not know the causes, and in many cases no single cause can be identified (NIAMS).

Symptoms

You may feel numbness, tingling or burning in your fingers, especially the thumb, index and middle fingers, and symptoms often affect both hands. Early on, symptoms usually start slowly in your dominant hand and happen at night if you sleep with your wrists bent (MedlinePlus). As they get worse, you may notice tingling, pain or weakness with activities such as driving or holding a phone, trouble grasping small things, or fingers that feel swollen when they are not (MedlinePlus).

In long-term or untreated cases, NIAMS says the fingers can feel numb all the time and the muscles at the base of the thumb may become so weak that grasping small objects is hard or impossible (NIAMS). Without treatment, you could lose feeling in some fingers and have permanent weakness in your thumb, but early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent lasting damage (MedlinePlus).

Diagnosis and treatment

A health care provider will ask about your medical and family health history, do a physical exam, and order tests if needed, such as lab tests for diseases that may damage nerves, X-rays, nerve and muscle electrical tests, or an ultrasound of the nerve (MedlinePlus).

It is easier to treat early. A provider will first treat any health conditions that may cause your symptoms. Treatments may include wrist splints (usually worn at night), rest, medicines to reduce swelling and pain, and surgery to make more space in the carpal tunnel if symptoms are severe and other treatments do not work (MedlinePlus).

Lowering your risk

MedlinePlus says you may help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome if you protect your wrists (MedlinePlus):

• use good posture to keep your wrists in a natural position;
• keep your hands warm to keep your muscles flexible;
• take work breaks and vary your tasks;
• stretch and exercise your hands and wrists;
• organize your workspace and tools to reduce strain on your hands and wrists.

Repeated hand and wrist motions can also cause tendinitis, which NIAMS says often affects the wrist and is more likely in carpenters, gardeners and musicians (NIAMS). See tendinitis risk factors.

Common questions

Does typing cause carpal tunnel syndrome?

Researchers are not sure whether long-term typing or computer use leads to carpal tunnel syndrome (MedlinePlus).

Why are women more likely to get it?

MedlinePlus says women are three times more likely than men to have carpal tunnel syndrome (MedlinePlus). Both sources also list fluid changes in pregnancy and menopause among the conditions linked to it (MedlinePlus) (NIAMS).

Can it run in families?

Yes. Having a close relative who has had carpal tunnel syndrome, such as a parent, brother or sister, is listed as a factor that makes it more likely (MedlinePlus).