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Quennell Hand & Wrist 01632 960 718 Book
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Where it is: Middle of the wrist crease

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Also called: a trapped nerve at the wrist

The median nerve runs through a tight tunnel at the front of the wrist. When the tunnel gets crowded, the nerve is squeezed, and the thumb, index and middle fingers tingle, go numb or feel clumsy.

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A drawing of a left hand and wrist, palm up, with the bones and joints shown faintly beneath the skin, and a small detail drawing of the elbow. A violet surgical marker dot sits on the base of the thumb.
Plate 1 Middle of the wrist crease

What it feels like

  • Pins and needles in the thumb and first two fingers
  • Waking at night and shaking the hand to bring it back
  • Dropping small things, fumbling buttons

What we look for

We test feeling in each fingertip, the strength of the muscle at the base of the thumb, and whether tapping or bending the wrist brings the tingling on.

What usually helps

  1. A night splint that keeps the wrist straight while you sleep
  2. An injection in clinic for symptoms that keep coming back
  3. A short day-surgery release under local anaesthetic, home within the hour

A typical recovery

  1. Week 1Light use, dressing on, fingers moving
  2. Week 2Stitches out, therapy starts
  3. Week 6Most people back to normal grip

Illustrative timeline, not a promise: every hand heals at its own pace.