subject: Problems Involved With Identifying Carpal Tunnel Symptoms [print this page] It can sometimes be difficult to discern between carpal tunnel symptoms and the symptoms of another sort of ailment entirely. The manifestations of this syndrome can resemble repetitive strain injuries, or could indicate other kinds of medical conditions altogether. A person could be given carpal tunnel therapy when in fact their real problem is something else, and a mistake like this might even be harmful. So it's very important to be sure what the actual issue is, thus guaranteeing the correct treatment.
The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) website discusses two types of disorders that could manifest symptoms of CTS but might be something else entirely.
The first category deals with underlying medical disorders. These could involve arthritic problems, for example, that might create hand or finger pain that would seem very much like the symptoms of CTS. The patient might even have a break in a bone somewhere that produces similar symptoms. There can even be some relation between thyroid disease and symptoms that are similar to those of CTS.
The UMMC identifies many other types of disorders that seem to result in carpal tunnel symptoms but which in fact result from other sorts of trauma. For example, thoracic outlet syndrome actually originates in the neck rather than the hand, yet produces similar manifestations. The nerves or blood vessels that run down the neck and into the arm can become compressed, resulting in similar hand pains and slowing blood flow in the arm. This is clearly not a carpal tunnel disorder, despite what the symptoms are, and it would require different treatment.
The UMMC website recommends a few tests to discern whether a patient is suffering from carpal tunnel symptoms, or is really experiencing some other condition instead. The weakness of the thumb is often a good indicator. If the person can't lift their thumb from the plane of the palm, or can't stretch the thumb till its pad touches the pad of the little finger, that's a strong indication. There are also electronic ways to test the signal running along the median nerve from the wrist into the hand, and these are the best diagnostic tests to confirm carpal tunnel problems rather than something else. It's important to be clear on exactly what the person is suffering from, to make sure the treatment actually matches the disorder.
