Is There A Difference Between Arthritis And Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

A number of people wonder if they have or are prone to carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) which is understandable because not many, as of yet, have heard about the illness. That said, many mistake it for arthritis while others would like to know the similarities/ difference between them. If you fall into any or all of these categories, you'll find your answers by the time you're done reading this article.

To understand the difference between carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis, it may be best to first define both...

Carpal tunnel is the name of the anatomy of the region around the human wrist. Hence, CTS happens as a result of the median nerve which runs through the carpal tunnel being compressed or twisted beyond its limit. This causes numbness to the fingers, hands, and could also result in back pain and some nights without sleep.

On the other hand, arthritis (in general) occurs as a result of an inflammation to the joints. It is a problem caused when the joint surface at certain part of the body (e.g. wrist or ankle) becomes rough due to constant rubbing against each other. The result of this is, the 2 joint surfaces no longer glide smoothly over each other which results pain and inability to use the joint as should be.

However, there is a link between the two in that if a person is diagnose with arthritis, then chances are that person stands more risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome. This is because with arthritis, the carpal tunnel may become narrow thereby causing the median nerve to compress and result in the syndrome. It is particularly prevalent in the case of rheumatoid arthritis as this is an inflammatory disease and the inflammation put extra pressure on the nerves passing through the carpel tunnel.

If you are in a dilemma as to whether the pain you feel on your wrist is arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, then here are a couple of ways doctors test to determine exactly what you want. The doctor can "tap" on the median nerve to see if that causes any tingling. If it does, then there is a good chance you have wrist tunnel syndrome. Another test that is often used is when the doctor has you hold your forearms upright by pointing the fingers down and pressing the backs of the hands together. If this brings on tingling or numbness, then there is a good chance you have CTS. Aside from these two, there is one other quite common test called EMG. However, this is often carried out by a neurologist would do that test.

In summary, it should now be clear that, although arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome are two different defects, they can still be linked together in that someone suffering from arthritis stands more chance of being diagnose with the syndrome due to a potential compression of the carpal tunnel.

If you'd like to know more about the difference between Arthritis and Carpal Wrist Tunnel and how to treat them, you should click on the link provided.