Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Anatomy

Anatomy of the carpal tunnel showing the median nerve passing through the tight space it shares with the finger tendons most cases of cts are of unknown cause. There usually isnt one definitive cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Summit Medical Group

Carpal tunnel syndrome is essentially a pinched nerve in the wrist.

Carpal tunnel syndrome anatomy. Carpal tunnel syndrome the carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway found on the anterior portion of the wrist. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that causes pain numbness and tingling in the hand and arm. It serves as the entrance to the palm for several tendons and the median nerve.

In order to understand how and why the condition arises we must understand the structure of the carpal tunnel itself. Basically the carpal tunnel is a passageway for the tendons and nerves of the forearm to travel into the wrist and hand. Normal anatomy the carpal tunnel is an osteofibrous canal located in the volar wrist.

There is a space in the wrist called the carpal tunnel where the median nerve and nine tendons pass from the forearm into the hand figure 1. The median nerve passes through the tunnel and provides sensation to your thumb index finger middle finger and the thumb side of the ring finger. Its first description is attributed to paget1 who reported on a case of compression of the median nerve consequent to a fracture of the distal radius.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness tingling and other symptoms in the hand and arm. The boundaries are the carpal bones forming the floor and the flexor retinaculum or transverse carpal ligament forming the roof fig 1 a. Because the carpal tunnel is narrow and rigid anytime there is swelling or inflammation in the area the median nerve can be compressed and cause pain.

Carpal tunnel syndrome cts is the most frequent of the compressive syndromes and is defined by compression andor traction of the median nerve at wrist level. Diabetes mellitus is weakly associated with cts. Carpal tunnel anatomy a passageway from the wrist to the hand the carpal tunnel is made of tendons ligaments and bones.

Carpal tunnel syndrome cts carpal tunnel syndrome cts is one of the most common and debilitating conditions that affects the wrist joint. Symptoms may be present in one or both hands usually symptoms develop in the dominant hand first. Risk factors include obesity repetitive wrist work pregnancy genetics and rheumatoid arthritis.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a compressed nerve in the carpal tunnel a narrow passageway on the palm side of your wrist. It occurs when one of the major nerves to the handthe median nerveis squeezed or compressed as it travels through the wrist. Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when swelling in this tunnel puts pressure on the nerve.

Understanding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Chart 20x26 Carpal