09/22/2025
If you’ve ever felt numbness, tingling, or weakness in your hand, especially at night or while typing, it might be carpal tunnel syndrome. This happens when the median nerve gets compressed as it passes through a small tunnel in your wrist.
A quick anatomy note: the median nerve starts up in your neck, runs down the arm, through the forearm, and finally passes through the carpal tunnel at the wrist to supply the thumb, index, middle, and part of the ring finger. Because it travels such a long path, irritation can happen at the wrist and higher up in the arm or neck.
What you might notice:
Numbness or tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers
Weak grip strength (dropping objects, trouble opening jars)
Hand pain that’s worse at night
Relief when shaking out the hand
A few simple things that can help:
Taking breaks from repetitive activities like typing or gripping
Stretching and mobilizing the forearm muscles
Paying attention to posture at your desk (slouched shoulders can irritate the nerve higher up)
Wearing a neutral-position wrist brace at night if symptoms are worse while sleeping
In the clinic, we trace the entire nerve pathway of the nerve...from the neck to the wrist, to see where it is getting irritated. Treatment may include Active Release Techniques, nerve glides, soft tissue therapy, and adjustments to free up the nerve and reduce pressure. The goal is to restore normal movement, decrease irritation, and get your hand working comfortably again.
