In Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which nerve is affected?

Study for the NBCOT Hand Injuries and Intervention Test. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations. Get ready for success!

Multiple Choice

In Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which nerve is affected?

Compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel in the wrist is what causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The median nerve provides sensation to the palmar surface of the thumb, index, middle, and the radial half of the ring finger, and it supplies the thenar muscles that move the thumb. When the tunnel narrows or swells, these fibers become irritated or compressed, leading to numbness, tingling, and sometimes weakness in those thumb-side digits and difficulty with thumb opposition. This pattern distinguishes CTS from issues involving other nerves: the ulnar nerve would affect the little finger side and certain hand muscles; the radial nerve affects the back of the hand and wrist/finger extension; the axillary nerve affects shoulder movement. Therefore, the nerve involved in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the median nerve.

Compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel in the wrist is what causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The median nerve provides sensation to the palmar surface of the thumb, index, middle, and the radial half of the ring finger, and it supplies the thenar muscles that move the thumb. When the tunnel narrows or swells, these fibers become irritated or compressed, leading to numbness, tingling, and sometimes weakness in those thumb-side digits and difficulty with thumb opposition. This pattern distinguishes CTS from issues involving other nerves: the ulnar nerve would affect the little finger side and certain hand muscles; the radial nerve affects the back of the hand and wrist/finger extension; the axillary nerve affects shoulder movement. Therefore, the nerve involved in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the median nerve.

More practice questions