Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a very common hand problem affecting up to 3% of Canadians. With this condition, there is usually numbness of the thumb, index, long finger and half of the ring finger. The numbness often begins in the night and may respond to splinting the wrist straight while sleeping. However, it may progress to daytime numbness and sometimes associated pain. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is explained by a lack of room for the median nerve in the carpal tunnel of the hand. Surgery has a greater than 90% success rate for this problem and usually requires a 4-8 week absence from work.
