Diagnosis Center

How Do You Know You Have CTS?

How Do You Know You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

There are four stages of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Stage I:

Occasional finger numbness (one to two times a month for several months).

Stage II:

Pain, numbness and tingling upon awakening. Natural increase of fluids in the body including the wrist and hands, during sleep puts pressure on the median nerve and the carpal tunnel. A telltale sign of CTS is an absence of pain in the little finger, which is not controlled by the median nerve.

Stage III:

Finger numbness and/or wrist pain while working.

Stage IV:

Persistent wrist pain and/or finger numbness. Significant weakness of grip. Sometimes these symptoms are associated with a change or increase in hand activity, and other times there is no reason for the change. Occasionally there is an underlying condition precipitating the symptoms, such as Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Diabetes or Thyroid disease, Lupus or pregnancy. If you are experiencing symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, contact your doctor immediately.