If you have ever hurt your hand or wrist, you know how awkward it can be to continue everyday life, with pain preventing you from lifting objects or safely driving a car.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common conditions that is seen and treated by our Consultant Orthopaedic Hand Surgeon Mr Gavin Brigstocke here at Joint Reaction. CTS can result in significant pain and difficulty,
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) occurs where one of the nerves passing into your hand becomes compressed in a short tunnel at your wrist. The main symptom is unusual sensations / feeling in your hand, especially in your thumb, index and middle fingers. This tingling or numbness is often worse at night or first thing in the morning. It can also be brought on by everyday activities such as gripping a car steering wheel or bike handlebars.
If your CTS remains untreated, the tingling or numbness may become permanent,
What causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Very often in cases of CTS, no underlying cause can be identified. However, CTS can occur when the tunnel at the wrist swells due to:
- Inflammation of the tendons
- Fractures of the wrist
- Arthritis
CTS can also occur with:
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes
- Thyroid problems
- Rheumatoid arthritis
The earlier Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is diagnosed, the better. So if you are concerned about unusual sensations in your hands or wrist, just contact us for your first appointment with our consultant orthopaedic surgeon. We’ll aim to see you and provide a rapid diagnosis in just a matter of days not months (pending any test results). For more details:
What treatments are available for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
CTS responds best to early management, to help prevent permanent damage to the nerve and also give you the best chance of success with your treatment.
- Mild cases of CTS: treatment of early stage CTS usually involves patients wearing a wrist splint
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- More established CTS: Mr Brigstocke may suggest a localised steroid injection and in some cases a surgical procedure to release the pressure within the carpal tunnel.
What does Carpel Tunnel Syndrome surgery involve?
Surgery for CTA usually involves a carpal tunnel release. This is a short procedure performed under a local anaesthetic, so you can be awake throughout.
A small incision (2.5cm) is made at the base of your palm. At this point, the ligament that forms the roof of the tunnel is divided to relieve the pressure on the nerve. The skin incision is closed with dissolving stitches.
The outcome is usually a permanent resolution of the symptoms with a relief of the night pain and tingling within days.
Can using tech give you carpel tunnel syndrome (CTS)?
At present, there are no conclusive studies, but the indications are that those using a computer or typing on tech can place you more at risk. One small study of Ethiopian computer workers using keyboards found that 11.7% of participants developed CTS, for example. (4)
Increasingly, more of us are frequently typing messages, posts,
“Using smartphones for 2 hours per day or more was significantly associated with the occurrence of CTS. After adjusting for covariates, 4 hours or more per day of smartphone use was associated with CTS. Moreover, those who held the smartphone with both hands had 7.8 times higher odds of developing CTS than those who held it with one hand.”
Younger people may also be more at risk too. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising noted that:
“The youngest cohort aged up to 24 now spends four hours 49 minutes on their mobile phones, almost 50% more time than the overall average.” (7)
Concerned about Carpel Tunnel Syndrome?
Call us to book your initial private consultation with our Joint Reaction hand and wrist specialist orthopaedic surgeon, Gavin Brigstocke FRCS (Tr & Orth) MSc BSc Dip Hand Surg. No private medical insurance or GP referral is required.
IMPORTANT: This article on carpel tunnel syndrome is for your information only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. When you first meet your Joint Reaction consultant, they will discuss any hand and wrist issues, including previous issues, diagnosis or scans you may have.
SOURCES / FURTHER READING:
(1) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2022, August). Carpal tunnel syndrome: How common is it? NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/background-information/prevalence/
(2) Chong, H. H., See, A., & Kulkarni, K. (2024). National trends in the initial diagnosis and management of carpal tunnel syndrome: Results from the ELECTS (ELEctrophysiology in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome) study. The Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 106(1). https://doi.org/10.1308/rcsann.2022.00
(3) Rotaru-Zavaleanu, A.-D., Lungulescu, C. V., Bunescu, M. G., Vasile, R. C., Gheorman, V., Gresita, A., & Dinescu, V. C. (2024). Occupational carpal tunnel syndrome: A scoping review of causes, mechanisms, diagnosis, and intervention strategies. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, Article 1407302. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1407302
(4) Demissie, B., Yenew, C., Alemu, A., Atnafu, A., Shitie, A., & Engidaw, W. (2023). Carpal tunnel syndrome and its associated factors among computer user bankers in South Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021: A cross sectional study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 24, Article 828. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06918-5
(5) Słyk, S., Kamińska-Słyk, N., & Domitrz, I. (2025). Carpal tunnel syndrome diagnostics revisited: A comprehensive review. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2025, Article 2893823. https://doi.org/10.1155/ijcp/2893823
(6) Al Shahrani, E. S., & Al Shehri, N. A. (2021). Association between smartphone use and carpal tunnel syndrome: A case-control study. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 10(8), 2816–2821. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2458_20
(7) Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. (2025, June 25). Brits spend more time on their mobiles than watching TV set for the first time. https://ipa.co.uk/news/touchpoints-2025
(8) Sweney, M. (2025, June 25). Adults in Great Britain now spending more time on mobiles than watching TV. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/jun/25/adults-great-britain-time-mobiles-watching-tv-screen-ipa-survey