4 Surprising Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms

You have two carpal tunnels, one for each of your wrists. This narrow channel connecting the base of your hand to your forearm contains your median nerve, as well as several tendons. You rely on this area of your wrist to control physical motions, from forceful turns of your wrist to fine finger motions.

You use your wrists and hands a lot, and your tendons bear a lot of strain. If you develop carpal tunnel syndrome, inflammation in the carpal tunnel area puts pressure on the median nerve, resulting in uncomfortable symptoms that tend to worsen over time without rest and treatment.

At Twin Palm Orthopedics, Dr. Derek Farr and orthopedic surgeon and hand and upper extremity specialist Dr. Nirav Gupta treat carpal tunnel syndrome from the office in Ocala, Florida. Whether you have common carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, like aches and pains, or some of these more unusual symptoms, our team can help.

1. Night pain

While carpal tunnel pain is related to overuse, your pain symptoms may actually worsen at night when you’re trying to get some rest. If you find that your arm aches during the night or in the morning when you wake, you might have carpal tunnel syndrome. Contact Dr. Gupta at Twin Palm Orthopedics for an evaluation to confirm your diagnosis.

2. Spreading pain

The carpal tunnel is a relatively small area of your forearm. But because of the extent of your median nerve, you can feel symptoms of pain, numbness, or weakness in a surprisingly large range of locations due to carpal tunnel syndrome.

You might experience carpal tunnel pain in the back of your hand, wrist, lower arm, upper arm, or even your shoulder. Carpal tunnel pain often seems to radiate or spread, moving up your arm in a way that can be extremely uncomfortable!

3. Numbness

Because carpal tunnel syndrome is a nerve condition, you can also experience numbness or tingling, as well as pain, as symptoms. Your fingers could also feel swollen and difficult to use, even if no swelling is present. That is caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through compression in your carpal tunnel.

4. Loss of motion control

As carpal tunnel syndrome progresses, you may be increasingly affected by weakness and loss of fine motion control in your fingers. At that point, it’s time to take steps to seek treatment and address the underlying problem.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of carpal tunnel, get in touch with Dr. Gupta and our Twin Palm Orthopedics team for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment. We start with a thorough physical exam and use diagnostic imaging tests, like X-rays, to confirm issues with your carpal tunnel.

Once we understand your condition, we recommend a treatment plan to restore your fingers, hands, wrists, and shoulders to pain- and inflammation-free function. Your treatment plan may include rest, injections to relieve inflammation, daytime splinting, or nighttime bracing. 

Severe cases may require surgical intervention, which we can provide using minimally invasive techniques.

For carpal tunnel syndrome evaluation, contact Twin Palm Orthopedics online or over the phone to schedule your appointment today.