Carpal tunnel syndrome: symptoms, tests, treatment and which doctor to see
Why carpal tunnel syndrome causes numb, tingling fingers, how a nerve test confirms it, what helps from splints to surgery, and which doctor to see.
Also known as: Amyotrophy, thenar, of carpal origin; CTS; Carpal canal; Carpal tunnel; Compression neuropathy, carpal tunnel; Distal median nerve compression and 4 more
Distal median nerve entrapment; Entrapment neuropathy, carpal tunnel; Median nerve entrapment; Median neuropathy, carpal tunnel
What carpal tunnel syndrome is
Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when the median nerve, one of the main nerves to the hand, is squeezed as it passes through the wrist. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage formed by the small wrist bones and a tough band of tissue across the front of the wrist. The nerve shares this space with the tendons that bend the fingers.
When the tunnel becomes crowded — from swelling of the tendon linings, fluid retention or changes in the wrist — pressure on the nerve rises. This causes numbness, tingling and pain in the thumb and fingers. Mild cases can come and go; severe or long-standing compression can cause lasting numbness and weakness, which is why it is worth getting checked.
Symptoms
- Numbness and tingling in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and half of the ring finger; the little finger is usually spared
- Pain at night that wakes you, often relieved by shaking the hand
- Symptoms when holding a phone, steering wheel, newspaper or vehicle handlebar
- Aching that may spread up the forearm
- A weak grip and dropping things
- Difficulty with fine tasks such as buttoning clothes
- In long-standing cases, wasting of the muscle at the base of the thumb
It often affects both hands, usually the dominant hand first.
Causes and who is at risk
Often no single cause is found. Risk is higher with:
- Being a woman, and middle age
- Pregnancy, when fluid retention can cause temporary symptoms
- Diabetes, an underactive thyroid and rheumatoid arthritis
- Obesity
- Work or hobbies involving repeated forceful gripping, vibrating tools or prolonged bending of the wrist
- Wrist fractures or arthritis that change the shape of the tunnel
- Kidney failure and some rarer conditions
How it is diagnosed
The diagnosis is often clear from the symptoms and a physical examination. The doctor will check sensation and strength in your hand and may tap over the nerve at the wrist or ask you to hold your wrists bent for a short time to see if this brings on tingling.
A nerve conduction study, often done with electromyography (EMG), measures how well signals travel along the nerve. It confirms the diagnosis, shows how severe the compression is and rules out other nerve problems, such as a trapped nerve in the neck. It is especially useful before surgery. Ultrasound of the wrist can show a swollen nerve. Blood tests for sugar and thyroid function may be done to look for underlying conditions.
Which doctor to see
An orthopaedic surgeon, particularly a hand surgeon, treats carpal tunnel syndrome and performs surgery when needed. A neurologist arranges nerve tests and helps when the diagnosis is unclear or other nerve conditions are possible. Plastic surgeons trained in hand surgery also treat it.
You can find orthopaedic surgeons in Bengaluru, neurologists and plastic surgeons on The Doctor Index.
Treatment
Treatment depends on how severe and long-standing the symptoms are. Mild symptoms, and those in pregnancy, often improve without surgery.
Non-surgical treatment
A wrist splint that keeps the wrist straight, worn at night, is often the first treatment and can relieve night symptoms. Changing how you use your hands, taking breaks from repetitive tasks and avoiding prolonged wrist bending help. Treating diabetes or thyroid problems can improve symptoms. Anti-inflammatory tablets have little effect on carpal tunnel syndrome itself.
A steroid injection into the carpal tunnel can relieve symptoms, sometimes for months, and can also help confirm the diagnosis. Symptoms may return, and repeated injections are generally limited. Hand therapists and physiotherapists can advise on splints and nerve-gliding exercises.
Surgery
Carpal tunnel release is a common, short operation, usually done under local anaesthetic as a day procedure. The surgeon cuts the band of tissue across the front of the wrist to make more room for the nerve, through a small open incision or with a keyhole (endoscopic) technique. It is recommended when symptoms are severe or constant, when there is numbness that does not go away or muscle wasting, or when non-surgical treatment has not helped.
Night pain often improves quickly after surgery. Numbness and strength recover more slowly, and if the nerve has been compressed for a long time, recovery may be incomplete. Your surgeon will decide based on your examination and nerve tests.
Recovery and living with it
After surgery, keep the hand raised for a few days, move your fingers often, and avoid heavy gripping until the wound heals. Most people return to light tasks within days and to heavier work over several weeks. Tenderness in the palm can last a while. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome without surgery, keep using a splint at night and adjust repetitive tasks. Seek review if numbness becomes constant or your thumb muscles look thinner.
When it is urgent
Carpal tunnel syndrome is not an emergency, but some symptoms that seem similar are. Call 112 or 108 for sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side, or difficulty speaking — these can be signs of stroke. After wrist surgery or a wrist fracture, seek urgent care for severe, increasing pain, a hand that turns cold or pale, spreading redness with fever, or pus from the wound.
Questions to ask at your appointment
- Is this carpal tunnel syndrome, or could the problem be in my neck?
- How severe is the nerve compression?
- Do I need a nerve conduction study?
- How long should I try a splint before considering other treatment?
- Would an injection or surgery help me, and what recovery should I expect?
- Could diabetes or thyroid problems be contributing?
Common questions
Questions people ask
- Can carpal tunnel syndrome go away on its own?
- Mild symptoms sometimes improve with rest, a night splint and changes to hand use. Symptoms caused by pregnancy usually settle after delivery. Persistent numbness, weakness or muscle wasting should be assessed, because long-standing nerve compression can cause permanent damage.
- Is carpal tunnel surgery safe?
- Carpal tunnel release is one of the most common hand operations and is usually done as a day procedure under local anaesthetic. Like any surgery, it has risks such as infection, scar tenderness and, rarely, nerve injury. Your surgeon will explain these for your situation.
- Does typing on a computer cause carpal tunnel syndrome?
- The link with keyboard use is weaker than many people think. Forceful gripping, vibrating tools and prolonged wrist bending are stronger risks. Good wrist position, regular breaks and an ergonomic workstation may still reduce symptoms in people who already have the condition.
- Why does my hand go numb at night?
- Many people sleep with their wrists bent, which increases pressure inside the carpal tunnel. That is why symptoms are often worst at night and why a splint that keeps the wrist straight during sleep is usually the first treatment tried.
This condition is usually assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
Orthopaedic surgeons in Bangalore
A few orthopaedic surgeons listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
- Bursitis
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Fractures
- Herniated Disk
- Muscle Cramps
- Osteoporosis
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Scoliosis
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine — Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons OrthoInfo — Carpal tunnel syndrome
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Carpal Tunnel Syndrome — Public-domain health-topic summary
- MedlinePlus Genetics — Carpal tunnel syndrome — Public-domain Genetics summary
Carpal tunnel syndrome: symptoms, tests, treatment and which doctor to see is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-0439.