Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome can develop when a nerve in your wrist, called the median nerve, is compressed by swelling or irritation. The median nerve is responsible for feeling in the palm side of your thumb and fingers, and also controls the muscles at the base of your thumb.

Dignity Health’s Bay Area orthopedic doctors provide excellence in care and treatment for wrist conditions and injuries. If you’d like to make an appointment about carpal tunnel symptoms in the Bay Area, call (866) 759-0708 or Find a Doctor today online.

Carpal Tunnel Symptoms

Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are numbness and pain in the hand. This discomfort can reach all the way up your arm to your shoulder.

Other symptoms include:

  • Burning
  • Hand weakness
  • Less grip strength
  • Shock-like or other strange sensations
  • Tingling

Left untreated, carpal tunnel symptoms can become constant and lead to permanent hand numbness. For diagnosis and personalized treatment, visit a Dignity Health location near you:

Carpal Tunnel Causes

The primary cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is swelling and inflammation of the space that houses the median nerve. This space, called the carpal tunnel, is where the median nerve runs through the wrist, connecting the arm and hand. When this area is swollen, pressure is put on the nerve, resulting in discomfort and pain.

Certain factors can increase the risk of getting carpal tunnel, including:

  • Age
  • Diabetes and other medical conditions
  • Family history of narrow carpal tunnel
  • Overuse of the hand

Carpal Tunnel Treatment at Dignity Health

Initial treatment for carpal tunnel may include noninvasive therapies, such as exercises, modifying hand activities, physical therapy, braces or splints, and anti-inflammatory medicines. For more severe cases, our doctors may recommend corticosteroid injections or carpal tunnel surgery.

The goal of carpal tunnel treatment is to help restore the function of your hand and wrist, with less pain and discomfort. Talk with a Dignity Health doctor in the Bay Area about your care options.

Skilled orthopedic doctors treat carpal tunnel in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Redwood City, at Dignity Health Bay Area hospitals.