Patient Care

How to Prevent and Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Apr. 29, 2025

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that often has no single cause. It tends to start gradually, so some people who experience the hand numbness and wrist pain that come with it might put off treatment.

But for your best chance at recovery, treatment should begin when symptoms first begin, says Ali Mansour, MD, a hand and wrist surgeon with UR Medicine Jones Memorial Orthopaedics & Physical Performance Department.

Dr. Mansour shares how to reduce carpal tunnel pain, when to seek treatment, and the best options available.

What is Carpal Tunnel?

The carpal tunnel is a narrow, tunnel-like structure in the wrist. The bottom and sides of this tunnel are formed by wrist (carpal) bones. The carpal tunnel protects the median nerve and flexor tendons that bend the fingers and thumb. But if the nerve gets squeezed from nearby swelling, it can lead to numbness, weakness, and tingling in the thumb and fingers.

What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?

Many things can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome:

Injury

Heredity

Hand use over time

Hormonal changes related to pregnancy

Medical conditions, including diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid, and arthritis

Carpal Tunnel Symptoms

The most common symptoms include:

Numbness, tingling or pain in the hand that often gets worse at night

An electric shock feeling, mostly in the thumb, index and long fingers

Strange sensations and pain traveling up the forearm

Dropping objects

Weak pinch

Discomfort in the thumb, wrist, hand or fingers

The main symptom is numbness and/or tingling in the fingers. If mild, symptoms may come and go throughout the day, but if the condition worsens, the numbness may become constant. If injury is the cause, symptoms may be more severe.

Why does carpal tunnel get worse at night?

Because many people sleep with their wrists curled, symptoms at night are common and may wake you. Also, during sleep, blood flow to the extremities is decreased, causing further sensitivity to the nerve. Finally, lack of movement during sleep allows pressure to build up and increases wrist pain.

Can You Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

While there are no proven strategies for prevention, you can reduce hand and wrist pain by following these steps:

Reduce force and relax your grip: If you’re on a keyboard or cash register, hit keys softly.

Take short, frequent breaks: Gently stretch and bend your hands and wrists periodically. Taking a break, even for a few minutes each hour, can make a difference.

Watch your form: Do not bend your wrist all the way up or down when using a keyboard. A relaxed position with wrists parallel to the floor is best. Standing desks can sometimes provide ergonomic hand positioning, reducing the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
Change your computer mouse: Make sure your computer mouse is comfortable and doesn’t cause pain to your wrist or elbow.

Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief

Treatment options include wrist support such as splints, medicine, and/or surgery. Splinting and other conservative treatments are the best options for symptoms that come and go or have been present for less than a year.

When to Seek Care

Seek medical care if you have symptoms that interfere with your usual activities and sleep patterns. Left untreated, permanent nerve and muscle damage can occur.

Whenever possible, our teams take a conservative approach. “If diagnosed early, carpal tunnel syndrome can be relieved without surgery.”

It’s important to see a hand and wrist specialist to discuss minimally invasive carpal tunnel surgery or non-surgical options. A hand and wrist specialist has the expertise to review all of your options.

Non-surgical Therapy

Wrist Splinting: A splint that holds the wrist still while you sleep can help relieve nighttime symptoms. Even though it’s only worn at night, it can help prevent daytime symptoms. Nighttime splinting may be a good option for pregnant women because it doesn’t involve the use of medication to be effective.
Ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): In the short term, they may help relieve pain. However, these medicines do not improve the problem and are not recommended for long-term use.
Steroid Injections: A wrist and hand specialist may inject the carpal tunnel with a corticosteroid medicine, such as cortisone, to relieve pain. These medicines decrease inflammation and swelling, which reduces pressure on the median nerve.
Activity Changes: Changing patterns of hand use to avoid positions and activities that aggravate symptoms may be helpful. If work requirements cause symptoms, changing or modifying jobs may slow or stop the progression of the disease.

Surgical Treatment
Surgery may be needed for symptoms that don’t respond well to other treatments or persist long-term.

“The decision to pursue surgical treatment is based mainly on the severity of symptoms,” Dr. Mansour said. “The end goal is to relieve the compression on the median nerve. In more severe cases, surgery may be considered sooner, as other non-surgical treatments are unlikely to help.”

Surgery can be done through traditional open incision or a minimally invasive technique using a scope.

For more information on carpal tunnel treatment or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mansour and his team, call (585) 596-2054 or visit the Jones Memorial website.

Treating Hand & Wrist Pain

UR Medicine’s Orthopaedics, Vascular Surgery and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery teams work collaboratively to provide surgical and non-surgical care to adults and children. Our team approach involves surgeons, physicians and certified hand therapists who specialize in the hand, wrist, and upper extremities.

Our Services