"...a condition caused by compression of a nerve where it
passes through the wrist into the hand and characterized
especially by weakness, pain, and disturbances of sensation
in the hand and fingers"At the base of the palm, just
above the carpal bones of the wrist, is a "sleeve" or
“tunnel” where the tendons and nerves from the arm pass
through to the hand and fingers. The nerve that passes
through this narrow tunnel is called the Median Nerve.
The tunnel between the forearm and hand is called “The
Carpal Tunnel”.
Pinching or compression of the Median nerve sets into motion a
progressively crippling disorder that eventually results in wrist
pain, numbness and tingling in the hands.
Statistics: More than 3.8 million visits were made to
physicians in office-based practices in 2003 because of
carpal tunnel syndrome.¹
¹
National Center for Health Statistics, National Ambulatory
Medical Care Survey, 2000 (Using all three possible
reason-for-visit codes listed; data extracted and analyzed
by the AAOS Department of Research and Scientific Affairs.)
2003 |