People often blame carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) for hand and wrist pain, but it’s not always the true cause. One frequently misdiagnosed condition is ESS, which can lead to incorrect treatment. Let’s explore some of these conditions further.
Chronic low-grade inflammation can lead to serious health issues like specific types of cancer and heart diseases. A common issue in the wrist and hand area is tendonitis. This happens when the tendons, which connect muscles to bones, become swollen. Tendonitis can affect the tendons that either bend your fingers (flexor tendons) or extend them (extensor tendons).
Similar to CTS, tendonitis brings symptoms like pain, tenderness, and weakness to your hand. These symptoms worsen with repetitive wrist and hand movements. However, there are differences. Tendonitis pain is usually focused right where the tendon is inflamed. For example, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, a type of tendonitis, affects the base of your thumb, causing pain on that side of your wrist. On the other hand, CTS typically causes pain and numbness in the thumb, index, middle finger, and part of the ring finger.
Age can influence how symptoms appear. CTS often causes nighttime numbness and tingling, interrupting sleep, whereas tendonitis may cause persistent pain that can disrupt sleep.
Cervical radiculopathy is a condition where the nerves in the neck are compressed, often due to herniated discs or bone spurs. This compression leads to pain, numbness, and weakness from the neck down into the hand.
Cervical radiculopathy can mimic CTS by causing hand pain and numbness but differs because the pain travels along the nerve to the arm and is often accompanied by neck pain or stiffness and weak arm or shoulder muscles, none of which are typical of CTS.
If hand or wrist pain is affecting your daily life, it’s essential to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. They may review your medical history, perform a physical examination, and possibly recommend tests like X-rays or nerve conduction studies. Getting the right diagnosis is vital for appropriate treatment and to identify the actual cause of your hand or wrist issues, not just assuming it’s CTS.
