Common Nerve Compression Sites

Chattanooga, Tennessee

The wrists and hands are complex, delicate structures that can be easily damaged by stress or injury. One common cause of discomfort in the hands is nerve compression. Nerve compression can occur as a result of repetitive stress injury caused by certain sports activities or assembly line work or because of injury to the wrist. Sometimes the root cause of the nerve compression remains uncertain, and might simply be due to structural qualities of the wrists and hands.

If you are experiencing numbness or discomfort in the wrists or hands, Hayes Hand Center can help diagnose the causes and recommend treatment for conditions such as:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (median nerve compression)
• Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (ulnar nerve compression)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The best-known form of nerve compression in the wrists is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome affects the median nerve, which runs along the wrist on the side facing the palm. This nerve literally runs through a small tunnel, called the carpal tunnel. Also protected by the carpal tunnel are nine of the tendons that control movement of your fingers. Swelling of the ligaments can lead to compression of the nerve, which causes increasingly severe discomfort in the wrists and hands.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:

• Tingling or numbness in the hands, especially the thumb, index and middle fingers
• Pain in the wrists
• Weakening grip strength

Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common in women than in men. It most often occurs in the dominant hand before affecting the other hand and can be aggravated by other conditions such as diabetes or pregnancy.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Like the carpal tunnel, the cubital tunnel is an anatomical structure that protects a nerve. In this case, the nerve is the ulnar nerve, which runs along the elbow down to the hand. The cubital tunnel is located on the elbow and causes the pain you experience when you hit your “funny bone.”

The ulnar nerve serves the outside part of the hand, including the pinky and ring fingers. If compression of the ulnar nerve occurs in the cubital tunnel, an early symptom is numbness in this area of the hand. Other symptoms include pain in the elbow and forearm.

Both carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndrome can be managed with proper care. This can include medication, use of braces or splinting, or, in more severe cases, surgery. Hayes Hand Center is specially equipped to help manage surgery for nerve compression syndromes, as well as to supply therapy for a quick and successful recovery.

If you are suffering from symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome, please contact Hayes Hand Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee to schedule a consultation and discuss your treatment options.