Vibration Injury Guide – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Home » News & Knowledge » Vibration Injury Guide – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

‘Vibration Injury’ can sound rather vague, so here we will be focusing on one of the most common vibration injuries – Carpal tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Read on to learn more about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), as well as symptoms and how it is diagnosed.

Vibration Injury Guide

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, often abbreviated to CTS, is a painful condition of the hand and fingers, which is caused by compression of a major nerve where it passes over the carpal bones at the front of the wrist.

It causes pins and needles, numbness, and weakness of the hand or fingers.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms usually begin slowly and can occur at any time. Early symptoms include numbness at night, tingling, and/or pain in the fingers.

Common daytime symptoms are tingling and decreased feeling in the fingertips. Patients also report difficulty handling small objects, grasping the steering wheel to drive, holding a book to read, writing, or using a computer keyboard, etc.

How is it diagnosed?

It is diagnosed by looking into your personal history (manual aspects of your job or day to day routine), undergoing a physical examination, and with the results of tests called Nerve Conduction studies.

Physical examinations include a detailed evaluation of your hand, wrist, shoulder, and neck to check for any other causes of nerve pressure. Your doctor will look at your wrist for signs of tenderness and any deformities.

Nerve Conduction Tests (NCT) are diagnostic tests that can measure the conduction speed of your nerve impulses. If the nerve impulse is slower than normal as the nerve passes into the hand, the diagnosis may be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Could my employer be liable for my condition?

Under the Health and Safety Act 1974, every employer has a duty so far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure the safety and welfare of employees. If an employer breaches these duties, there will be a claim in negligence against them.