Most people have only a rough idea of what carpal tunnel syndrome feels like. The aim of this article is to 1) estimate your chances of getting this condition, 2) describe the sensations you'll experience, and 3) show you the steps needed to get rid of it.

• Be certain you have carpal tunnel: take this self-test.

How you get carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome (usually just called "carpal tunnel") is a nerve disorder. The nerve involved is one of the main nerves of the hand called the median nerve. This nerve becomes damaged under certain conditions.

Chief among those conditions is when you repetitively strain your hand and fingers. This usually happens on the job, and the most high risk jobs are listed below. In fact, the CDC says it's on the job where most workers develop a repetitive stress injury or RSI.

An RSI means the tendons in your forearm (which are responsible for curling your fingers) are damaged. That damage makes them inflame and swell.

As the tendons swell, they push on the median nerve. With enough swelling, eventually the nerve is crushed. That crushing causes all the terrible sensations of carpal tunnel syndrome. They're called the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. 

It's important to note that repetitive stress is the most common way to get carpal tunnel syndrome. But it's not the only way. You can be at high risk for a number of other reasons which are also listed below.

Most people want to know what carpal tunnel syndrome feels like so they can recognize if they have it or not. Actually, it causes very specific feelings or "symptoms" that are easy to spot.

Symptoms are usually confined to the hand or fingers. Sometimes these sensations can spread from the hand to the forearm. They include:

• numbness
• pain
• tingling
• soreness
• itching
• burning
• weakness

The illustration below shows where these sensations occur. Most times, these sensations are more intense in the thumb (including its fleshy base) and first finger. The little finger (pinky finger) is never involved.

In the beginning, carpal tunnel sensations only appear when you're trying to sleep. You feel the need to wake up and shake out the numbness. Some people have to hang their hand off the bed to get relief.

As the condition progresses, these symptoms last into the daytime. Pain can shoot up the arm, especially when gripping something like a soda can. Driving a car or holding a phone to your ear can make your hand go numb. Patients often find it difficult to open jars, pick up coins, tie a shoelace or button a shirt.

In time, the condition progresses further - and the symptoms become severe. You begin to loose sensitivity to hot or cold in your fingertips. The hand becomes increasingly weaker. Daytime pain becomes crushing and excruciating. The numbness can be so intense that most people say, "I feel like cutting my hand off!"

You can perform a quick and simple self-test to determine if you have carpal tunnel syndrome by clicking on this tool.

The short answer to "Who gets carpal tunnel?" is "Anybody who works with their hands." That means just about everybody. But certain occupations are known for causing repetitive stress on the hands, which leads to a higher probability of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. These high risk occupations are:

• Video gamers
• Transcriptionists
• Hairdressers
• Dentists
• Dental hygienists
• Knitters and sewers
• Musicians
• Horse riders or trainers
• Fine artists
• Truck drivers
• Graphic designers
• Radiologists
• Sonographers
• Vibrating power tool users
• Farmers
• Butchers
• Electronic assemblers
• Gardeners
• Housekeepers
• Janitors
• Heavy machine operators
• Mechanics
• Assembly line workers
• Data-entry clerks

Aside from high risk jobs, you also increase the chances of getting carpal tunnel syndrome if you have the following issues. Most of are difficult if not impossible to eliminate. They are:

• being female
• being pregnant
• rheumatoid arthritis
• hypothyroidism
• broken hand
• diabetes
• smoking
• obesity
• having a small body frame ("small-boned")
• emotional stress
  

Now that you understand what carpal tunnel is all about, you must treat it. If you don't, you're rolling the dice. Mild cases of carpal tunnel syndrome will usually resolve on their own with little or no therapy (about 20-60% of the time).

In contrast, moderate and severe cases of carpal tunnel syndrome will almost never resolve on their own without some treatment. That means your choices are simple: immediate treatment or allowing the condition to worsen.

There are 2 primary ways to treat carpal tunnel syndrome:

• carpal tunnel (hand) surgery
• non-surgical treatments

Obviously, these two ways are radically different. Most doctors (including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons) recommend using nonsurgical therapies first, before considering surgery. The reason is simple. Nonsurgical remedies have a 90% effectiveness rate in most carpal tunnel patients.

Hand surgery is usually reserved only for the most extreme and intense cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially when all nonsurgical remedies have failed. And even then, carpal tunnel surgery is only about 50% successful (depending on initial severity).

For advanced cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, hand surgery is often recommended. The surgery is called carpal tunnel release surgery.

The surgery aims to release the median nerve from being trapped amongst the swollen tendons inside the wrist joint. Basically, the surgery makes more room for the median nerve to keep it from being crushed. This is accomplished by using one of two types of surgery:

• Endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery: During this surgery the doctor makes one or two small holes in your palm. Then the doctor uses an endoscope to peer into the wrist joint and make the appropriate cuts. This surgery causes less hand trauma and provides for a faster recovery. But there is a higher risk of complications.

• Open carpal tunnel release surgery: This operation requires the doctor making a 2-3 inch long incision in your palm. Then the doctor can make the appropriate cuts inside the wrist joint. This type of surgery results in fewer complications. However, it causes more trauma to the hand and therefore more post-surgical pain. It also requires more aftercare and a longer recovery time.

There are significant pros and cons to having carpal tunnel surgery. But with a 50% success rate, this surgery is reserved only when nonsurgical therapies have failed. Most patients say the big downside is the pain after carpal tunnel surgery. Also, carpal tunnel surgery aftercare can be simple or complex, depending on which operation you have and whether on not you have complications. Carpal tunnel surgery recovery time can take anywhere from a few weeks to a year.

The 5 key ways to treat carpal tunnel syndrome without surgery are:

1. Steroid shots
2. Rest and avoidance
3. Night bracing
4. Stretching exercises
5. Myofascial release massage

It's usually best to try remedies 2-5 first. If they are not successful, then steroid shots can be tried.

Also, remedies 2-5 should be used concurrently. In other words, use them simultaneously instead of one at a time. This will assure maximum benefit

Knowing what carpal tunnel syndrome feels like could be your "early warning sign". Such an alert can help you get started on treatment now, instead of later on when the condition has advanced.