Conservative care for carpal tunnel syndrome

Abstract

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)is due to entrapment of the median nerve and is the most common form of compressive neuropathy affecting 1%-3%of the general population [1, 2].Females in their fourth and fifth decades are four times more likely to suffer from CTS as opposed to men of the same age [3].Symptoms often include paresthesias into the thumb,index,long and half of the ring finger,as well as pain in the hand,wrist, and occasionally the forearm [4].These symptoms usu-ally worsen at night and with repetitive,strenuous activities utilizing the hands.In severe cases,atrophy of the thenar musculature can be present [5].The clinical diagnosis of CTS is generally straightforward;however, nerve conduction studies (NCS)and electromyogram (EMG)are often recommended to reliably confirm the diagnosis [6]. © 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.