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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Thyroid Disease

© Keri

Many people with thyroid disease suffer with weakness, tingling and/or pain in their hands. These symptoms also characterize carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). One factor in the development of CTS is repititive stress, such as typing or using a computer keyboard for hours. But why do people with thyroid disease often have the same symptoms? Thyroid disease can cause edema (swelling) in the joints. This swelling can mimic the effect of repititive stress causing the same symptoms. The good news is that when the thyroid imbalance is controlled the symptoms often disappear.

The symptoms experienced with CTS are caused by pressure on the nerves that travel through the bone of the wrist to the hand. The carpal tunnel is literally a tunnel through the bone in the wrist. The median nerve provides sensation for the thumb index and middle fingers and shares this tunnel with tendons. Any swelling or inflammation in the lining of the tunnel causes pressure on the nerve and the nerve responds by sending pain signals to the brain. This pressure can cause a variety of aggravating symptoms:

• numbness
• tingling
• pain
• weakness
• loss of dexterity
• a feeling that the fingers or hand is asleep

Symptoms are often worse at night and may radiate (spread) into the wrist and forearm.

How does your doctor diagnose CTS? To get a basic idea, your doctor will ask for your history. When do you experience symptoms and exactly what happens? For instance, do you wake in the night with your hand asleep? He/she may ask you to perform one of the following tests.

• Phalen's test: Put the backs of the hands together with fingers toward the floor. Hold hands firmly together for less than 1 minute. A positive sign is the experience of the symptoms of CTS.
• Tinel's sign: The doctor taps firmly on the base of the palm. With CTS, the result is a tingling or electrical sensation in the hand.

The definitive diagnosis is made with nerve conduction studies. This involves placing electrodes along the area that the nerve serves and stimulating it at intervals, not very comfortable and rather expensive.

The number one treatment for CTS is the elimination of the repititive stress. Do you spend more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time doing one task? Take a break, stretch your fingers, shake your wrists. Look at your work area. Are your wrists supported? For those of us addicted to the internet and keyboards, wrist support pads are available.

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