The Doctor Weighs In | Carpal Tunnel Syndrome May Not Be the Cause of Your Wrist Pain

By Mark E. Elzik, MD | “Doctor, I have carpal tunnel syndrome. Can you help me?”

“Sure, of course. What symptoms have you been having?”

“Well, my hand and wrist hurt a lot. And I work on a computer all day long.”

“Hmmm. I see. It sounds like you definitely have some issues, but your symptoms are not consistent with carpal tunnel syndrome.”

This conversation or ones like it play out in my office almost once per clinic. Patients will come to me convinced that they have carpal tunnel syndrome, only to feel disappointed in their incorrect diagnosis.

Carpal tunnel syndrome gets a lot of attention because it is so common. It also has been pegged as directly related to computer use. And so, a lot of office workers just assume that carpal tunnel syndrome is the cause of their pain. More…