Overview

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a health condition that causes symptoms like pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in your hand and wrist.

The carpal tunnel is a space in your wrist bones. It’s like a tunnel road through a mountainside, but instead of making room in the rock for cars, it’s a passageway in your bones that lets tendons, ligaments and nerves pass through it to reach your hand.

Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when something irritates or puts extra pressure on the median nerve that runs through your carpal tunnel. The median nerve helps you move your forearm and gives feeling to most of your fingers and hands. If it’s damaged or pressed against the walls of your carpal tunnel, it can send extra or incorrect feelings to your hand and wrist.

Visit a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing pain, numbness or tingling in your hands and wrists. Carpal tunnel syndrome usually responds well to treatment, but it can permanently damage your median nerve if it’s not treated soon enough.

How common is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is extremely common. Experts estimate that around 3 out of every 1,000 people in the U.S. experience carpal tunnel syndrome each year.

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Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.
The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:
  • High blood pressure.
  • Diabetes.
  • Heart failure.
  • Some types of heart valve disease.
Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:
  • Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
  • Don't smoke or use tobacco.
  • Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
  • Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
  • Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Reduce and manage stress.


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