This condition may cause numbness, tingling, and pain in the hand and forearm. The condition occurs when one of the major nerves in the hand like when the median nerve is squeezed or compressed as it travels through the wrist. 

In most patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, it tends to get worse over time. If left untreated for too long, it may lead to permanent dysfunction of the hand, including loss of sensation in the fingers and weakness. It is very important to diagnose and treat carpal tunnel syndrome as soon as possible. Early symptoms can be relieved with measures such as:

• Wearing a wrist splint while sleeping
• Exercises to keep the nerve mobile
• Avoiding any activities that will aggravate your symptoms
• Steroid injection into the carpal tunnel
 
If pressure on the median nerve continues, then it can lead to nerve damage and worsening symptoms. To prevent any permanent damage from occurring, surgery is the next step to take pressure off the median nerve.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel tend to begin slowly and will occur at any time. Early symptoms include:

• Numbness at night.
• Tingling or pain in the fingers

Because some people sleep with their wrists curled, nighttime symptoms are common and can wake you from your sleep. These nighttime symptoms are often the first reported signs of carpal tunnel. Shaking your hands can help relieve symptoms in the early stage of the condition.

Common daytime symptoms can include:

• Tingling in the fingers.
• Decreased feeling in the fingertips.
• Difficulty using your hands for any small tasks, such as:
o Handling small objects.
o Grasping a steering wheel to drive.
o Holding a book to read.
o Writing.
o Using a computer keyboard.

As carpal tunnel syndrome worsens, these symptoms may start:

• Weakness in the hand.
• Your inability to perform tasks that need delicate motions
• Dropping objects.

If left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome could lead to weakness, lack of coordination, and permanent nerve damage in the hand. When carpal tunnel syndrome begins to disrupt your daily routine, make an appointment with an orthopedic doctor as soon as possible. Taking action could help you from avoiding nerve damage. A lot of people with carpal tunnel syndrome tend to wait until they’ve completely gone numb in the hand, which can lead to irreversible nerve damage. Whether you need treatment or surgery, carpal tunnel syndrome can be successfully treated. Carpal tunnel surgery has a 95 percent success rate, provided that it’s not too late.

Typically, symptoms start out slowly, with burning, numbness, tingling, or pain. You could feel it in your thumb or any of your fingers, but not in your pinkie. This strange feeling can also travel up your forearm.
 
Often, the symptoms may start at night. The reason for this is that most people sleep with their wrists bent, which causes pressure on the median nerve. You may wake up feeling like you need to shake your hands out.
 
As your condition starts to get worse, you may notice symptoms during the day. This often happens when you’re doing something where your wrist is bent up or down for a long time, such as driving a car, reading a newspaper, or holding your phone.
 
At first, symptoms tend to come and go. Over time, it may occur more often and become worse. If you feel you have carpal tunning reach out to The Orthopedic Group today! We serve patients from Leesburg VA, Lansdowne VA, Stone Springs VA, Dulles, VA, Ashburn VA, Sterling VA, Aldie VA, South Riding VA, Herndon VA, Winchester VA, Reston VA, and Chantilly VA.