Case Studies
Case 5: A lady with pain and paraesthesiae in her hands
A 31-year-old lady presents with a nine month history of pain and paraesthesiae in her hands especially at night or after driving for more than a hour. She often can get rid of these symptoms by shaking her hands. She has no significant medical history but on examination she has slight wasting of her thenar eminence bilaterally with some sensory loss over the thumb and adjacent two fingers.
Your Answer:
Correct answer: Carpal tunnel syndrome. This is compression of the median nerve as it enters the hand through the carpal tunnel. It is common.
Your Answer:
Correct answer: Nerve conduction studies will show distal slowing of conduction in the median nerve as it passes into the hand.
Your Answer:
Correct answer: There are a number of ways of treating carpal tunnel syndrome including the wearing of wrist splints and local steroid injections. However the most successful is typically a simple operation just to relieve compression on the median nerve as it passes into the hand.