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Is My Hand Pain From Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Or Something Else?

Is My Hand Pain From Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Or Something Else?

Do you ever wake up with a numb or tingly hand? You’re not alone. Most people have. But does that numbness or tingly feeling return frequently? It could be a big problem that requires a doctor to diagnose and treat it.

There are three key causes for numbness and pain in your hands. Here are some ways you can differentiate from the three:

Is it carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common suspect when it comes to numbness, tingling or pain in your hands. Carpal tunnel is caused by:

Is it rheumatoid arthritis?

If it’s not carpal tunnel, it could be that the numbness and pain you are feeling in your hands stems from rheumatoid arthritis. The two can feel similar, but there are two key differences that can help you tell them apart:

Is it cervical radiculopathy caused by a spinal problem?

In some cases, the tingling, pain or numbness in your hand can stem from a bigger issue in your neck. You see, the nerves that bring senses to your hands come from your cervical spine, and sometimes, one or more of the eight nerve roots that come out of your spine can be irritated.

When that happens, you might experience pain or other symptoms along the path of the nerve, also known as cervical radiculopathy.

Things that can cause radiculopathy include:

The pain levels from radiculopathy can range from mild to very sharp. The location of your symptoms is dependent on which nerve is affected.

Both carpal tunnel and radiculopathy impact the “median nerve,” but there is a major difference between the two:

If it’s not one of the three most common causes, then your hand pain could come from a wide range of other factors, like diet or diabetes.

If you have recurring hand pain, contact Louisiana Pain Specialists today for help.

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