3 Warning Signs Your Wrist Pain Could Be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

You likely take your hands for granted until pain makes it difficult or impossible to button a shirt or blouse or lift a casserole out of the oven. If you have unexplained hand or wrist pain, it’s time to see a specialist.

At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, our board-certified orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including hand and wrist pain. One condition that causes this pain is carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome 

Following are three common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Call our office if you’re experiencing discomfort in your hand, wrist, or fingers before it progresses to the point where you’re unable to perform normal daily tasks.

Burning, tingling, or numbness 

Do you feel tingling in your fingers for no good reason? Perhaps you feel a burning sensation that comes and goes. You might feel it in your thumb and/or one or more of your first three fingers. You may try shaking your hand to try to stop the feeling. 

Numbness or tingling in your thumb or fingers isn’t normal. These are common carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, but they can also signal other health conditions. That’s why you need the attention of a specialist. 

A mild tingling or burning sensation now and then can turn into a bigger problem without medical treatment. 

Wrist pain that wakes you up at night 

Do you wake up in the middle of the night from wrist pain? If you’re a side sleeper, your wrist may turn inward, placing undue pressure on the median nerve, then the pain wakes you up. 

Your wrist may hurt during the day, too. If you use repetitive motions with your hands at work or from a hobby, you may start to feel minor discomfort now and then. Carpal tunnel symptoms progress without treatment. 

Call us if you’re experiencing hand pain that doesn’t resolve in a few days. 

Weakness in your hand, wrist, and/or fingers  

Is it increasingly difficult to hold a coffee cup or drive a nail with a hammer? If you’re experiencing weakness in your hand, wrist, or fingers, please call our office for an appointment. 

You need a firm grip on the steering wheel as well as the frying pan. Hand weakness may cause an accident in the home or elsewhere if your grip suddenly slips. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms can progress from a minor annoyance to a hand disability. 

Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome 

Most of the time we’re able to treat carpal tunnel syndrome with conservative methods. You may be already taking an over-the-counter pain reliever. That can help the symptoms, but it doesn’t treat the cause. 

At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, we ask you about your lifestyle and habits. If your work requires you to use repetitive hand motions, we can write a letter regarding your need for rest and/or accommodations. 

You may be able to modify your environment on your own. If your keyboard is causing wrist or hand pain, using a curved or split keyboard may help. This type of keyboard relieves stress on your hand by helping your hand remain in a neutral position. 

You may invest in special grips for hand tools if your work involves machinery or construction. 

We show you simple stretches and exercises that help relieve the stress on the tendons moving through your carpal tunnel. They help your median nerve glide more smoothly through the narrow passage. 

If your pain is severe, physical therapy sessions help calm your inflammation and teach you ways to prevent carpal tunnel in the future. Our expert physical therapists help you regain strength, function, and range of motion. 

We may recommend a splint that you wear at night or wear night and day until the inflammation subsides. 

In severe cases, we perform a minor procedure that opens the carpal tunnel and releases the nerve. 

Call us at Peninsula Orthopedic Associates or request an appointment through our online portal today if you have unexplained hand, wrist, or finger pain. We have offices in Menlo Park, Daly City, and Los Gatos, California.