Skip to main content
carpal tunnel syndrome

carpal tunnel syndrome

5 3.5
A feeling of pain, numbness, or weakness in the hand caused by a nerve being squeezed in the wrist
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑːr.pəl ˈtʌn.əl ˈsɪn.droʊm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : síndrome del túnel carpiano
  • After long hours at the computer, she started to feel symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome in her hands.
  • carpal tunnel syndrome, sports injuries
  • such as carpal tunnel syndrome

These two fingers don't bend and I have carpal tunnel syndrome.

Examples

  • Many office workers are at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome due to constant use of keyboards.

  • Factory workers and people who type for a living can become disabled very easily by carpal tunnel syndrome.

    Blog text (3)
  • Women may also be more prone to shoulder injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome than men.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Yoga is another natural method to help reduce symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, improving grip strength while reducing pain.

    Blog text (31)
  • In several research studies, vitamin B6 deficiency has been associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.

    Blog text (31)
  • All instrumentalists can suffer from repetitive-motion injuries, including but not limited to carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger and thumb, and tendinitis.

    Academic text (2005)
  • The ruling overturned a 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that found Ella Williams was covered by the ADA because her medical condition, carpal tunnel syndrome, caused her to avoid sweeping, quit dancing, and occasionally seek help dressing.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The repetitive nature of typing without breaks can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, causing pain in the wrist.

Synonyms

neuropathy
vscarpal tunnel syndrome
  • Specialized
7 7.7

A problem with the nerves in the hands and feet that causes numbness, weakness or pain

is a wrist problem causing hand numbness and tingling rather than general disease
nerve compression
vscarpal tunnel syndrome
  • Specialized
1 6.1

Pressure on a nerve that causes pain, numbness, or muscle weakness

is a wrist problem that causes numbness and tingling in the hand

Surface Forms

Morphology

carpal + tunnel + syndrome

Knowing 'carpal' (relating to the wrist), 'tunnel' (a passage), and 'syndrome' (a set of symptoms) allows a learner to infer this is a medical condition involving a passage in the wrist that produces symptoms, so the overall idea is partly compositional. However, the precise clinical mechanism (compression of a specific nerve) and detailed symptoms are technical and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

The medical name carpal tunnel syndrome comes from a real carpal 'wrist' tunnel made by bones and a tight band where an important nerve runs and can be squeezed. When that nerve is pressed, people feel 'pain, numbness or weakness' in the hand, so the name explains the problem.