Carpal tunnel syndrome; It is a disease that occurs as a result of the compression of the nerve passing through the wrist in the channel through which it passes. The “Carpal Tunnel” is covered with a thick structure at the wrist level and at the top. Within this channel are the tendons that provide the movement of the fingers and the median nerve. The median nerve allows the fingers (head, index, middle and ring) to feel and make some movements. If the nerve is under pressure in the canal, carpal tunnel syndrome occurs.

What Are The Symptoms Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ?
The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness, tingling and numbness in the fingers. However, pain radiating to the hand, fingers and arm occurs. Although these symptoms are more common especially at night, they can be disturbing enough to cause people to sleep restlessly or even wake up from their sleep. Pain and numbness occur in tasks such as squeezing, carrying, cleaning, where the hand is forced. This pain and numbness can extend to the shoulder and neck. In the later stages of the disease, melting of the thumb muscles, weakness, difficulties in grasping and holding movements occur.

Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ?
This discomfort is caused by increased pressure in the carpal canal. This pressure depends on the position of the hand. Causes of the disease include pressure after fractures around the wrist, infection or thickening of the tendon sheaths, frequent repetition of certain movements, hormonal changes during pregnancy narrowing the canal, loss of elasticity of the tissues in advanced ages, and further hardening of the ligament around the canal.

Diagnosis?
The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome can be made 95 percent of the time by questioning the complaints, examination findings, and a type of nerve electrode called EMG. Although the EMG is negative, in cases where the disease is present, a decision should be made by looking at the examination findings and complaints. Since this disease can be confused with neck hernia in some cases, neck MRI can be added to the examinations.

Treatment ?
First of all, it is necessary to avoid works that force the hands and wrists, and not to do excessive strain. People who use their hands and fingers for professional reasons should not keep their wrists bent all the time. However, the muscles should be strengthened by doing exercises that strengthen the hand, wrist and fingers. Not leaving these areas immobile is the most important point in protection.

In the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, it is useful to use regional pain relievers and edema-relieving gels. However, wrist-wrist splints to be used only at night and corticosteroid injections around the nerve provide extremely safe and effective treatment. In patients whose complaints of pain and weakness persist despite medication and other treatments, or have advanced, it is possible to achieve complete recovery with a small operation that takes about 15 minutes under simple and local anesthesia. After two weeks of hand rest, patients return to their normal daily lives.