Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Find a Doctor

Request an Appointment

Browse this page

A doctor examines the wrist of a patient experiencing hand pain.

The carpal tunnel is a space in the wrist where a nerve and nine tendons pass from the forearm into the hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a type of hand nerve entrapment that occurs when swelling in the tunnel compresses the median nerve.

Carpal Tunnel

During repetitive hand motions, like typing, the tendons in the carpal tunnel become irritated - causing swelling and inflammation.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome

As a result of the pressure on the median nerve, patients with carpal tunnel syndrome may experience symptoms including:

Hand pain and finger pain, including burning, tingling, and numbness
Hand pain or wrist pain, extending to the elbow
Sensation that the hand is swollen, even if it is not
Weakened grip and difficulty picking up small items
Problems with fine finger movements in one or both hands
Numbness in hands

This condition is common in people who perform repetitive wrist and hand motions, such as typing on a computer keyboard. It also affects those who grip tightly or uses their wrists consistently, such as cashiers, cyclists, meat cutters, and musicians.

Treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome

Many nonsurgical courses of treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome are available, such as

Splints or braces to immobilize and rest the wrist
Adjustments to how you perform daily activities
Oral anti-inflammatory medications
Steroid injections

If nonsurgical treatment is not successful in resolving your hand pain or treatment is sought too late, surgery may be required. This surgery involves enlarging the carpal tunnel, which will relieve the swelling and pressure on the nerve.

Learn More About MedStar Health's Approach to Minimally Invasive Nerve Surgery

Our providers

Location: Change location Enter your location

Hand Surgery

William Hugh Baugher, MD

Hand Surgery

Request an
Appointment
Aviram Moshe Giladi, MD

Reconstructive Plastic Surgery & Hand Surgery

Request an
Appointment
Ryan M Jander, MD

Shoulder And Elbow Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery & Hand Surgery

Book an
Appointment
Michael William Kessler, MD

Hand Surgery

Book an
Appointment
Grant Michael Kleiber, MD

Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery & Plastic Surgery

Book an
Appointment
Kenneth Robert Means, MD

Hand Surgery

Request an
Appointment
Michael Sean Murphy, MD

Hand Surgery

Request an
Appointment
Kevin O'Malley, MD

Hand Surgery

Book an
Appointment
Kelsey Anne Rebehn, MD

Hand Surgery
Jessica M. Figueroa, MD

Hand Surgery
Christopher Lee Forthman, MD

Shoulder And Elbow Orthopedic Surgery & Hand Surgery
Peter Innis, MD

Hand Surgery
Keith Alan Segalman, MD

Hand Surgery
George Li-Wen Yeh, MD

Hand Surgery
Neal Brian Zimmerman, MD

Hand Surgery
Ryan Michael Zimmerman, MD

Hand Surgery

Show Next 8 of

Show All Hand Surgery

Orthopedic Surgery

Brock William Adams, MD

Orthopedic Surgery & Orthopedic Oncology

Request an
Appointment
Erin Farrelly, MD

Orthopedic Surgery

Request an
Appointment
Jessica B Hawken, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
Ryan M Jander, MD

Shoulder And Elbow Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery & Hand Surgery

Book an
Appointment
Jon David Koman, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
Stephen Theodore Michaels, MD, MSEXP

Orthopedic Surgery
Zan A Naseer, MD

Spine Surgery & Orthopedic Surgery

Request an
Appointment
Colleen Bauk Balkam, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
Ira Dean Gelb, AC, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
Sanjog K. Mathur, MBBS

Orthopedic Surgery
Megan Rose Miles, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
Mark Donald Perry, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
David T. Streets, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
Patricia Turner, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
William Robert Volk, MD

Orthopedic Surgery
Bo Zhang, MD

Orthopedic Surgery

Show Next 8 of

Show All Orthopedic Surgery

Neurosurgery

Saeed Ayed Alqahtani, MD

Neurosurgery
Amjad Nasr Anaizi, MD

Neurosurgery, Vascular Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Oncology, Spine Surgery, Brain and Tumor Neurosurgery & Skull Base Surgery

Request an
Appointment
Rocco Anthony Armonda, MD

Neurosurgery
Vinay R. Deshmukh, MD

Spine Surgery & Neurosurgery

Request an
Appointment
Zeena Dorai, MD

Spine Surgery & Neurosurgery

Request an
Appointment
Daniel Roque Felbaum, MD

Neurosurgery, Vascular Neurosurgery, Endovascular Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery
Mark Iguchi, MD

Spine Surgery & Neurosurgery
Christopher Gene Kalhorn, MD

Neurosurgery

Request an
Appointment
John Lynes, MD

Spine Surgery, Brain and Tumor Neurosurgery & Neurosurgery

Request an
Appointment
Jeffrey Ching-Kwei Mai, MD, PhD

Skull Base Surgery, Neurosurgery, Vascular Neurosurgery, Endovascular Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery

Request an
Appointment
Charles A. Miller, MD

Neurosurgery
Susan Cecilia Moreno, MD, PA

Neurosurgery
Faheem Akram Sandhu, MD

Spine Surgery & Neurosurgery

Request an
Appointment
Inder Paul Singh, MD, MPH

Endovascular Neurosurgery & Neurosurgery
Rizwan Ahmad Tahir, MD

Neurosurgery

Request an
Appointment
Teresa Wojtasiewicz, MD

Spine Surgery & Neurosurgery