Do you wake up in the middle of the night shaking your hands to get the feeling back? This common, frustrating experience is often an early warning sign of carpal tunnel syndrome.
At Valley Orthopedic Institute, our team of orthopedic specialists and pain management physicians helps patients in Palmdale and Ridgecrest, California, find lasting relief from painful musculoskeletal conditions that affect mobility and quality of life.
Our board-certified hand surgeon, Dr. Anand Shah, specializes in diagnosing and treating upper extremity conditions, including advanced care for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).
Here’s a closer look at the early signs of CTS and how we can help you protect nerve health before permanent damage occurs.
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage in the wrist that lets tendons and nerves run from the forearm to the hands. Curling the wrists reduces the space inside the carpal tunnel.
If you’re experiencing hand numbness at night, you likely bend your wrists while you sleep, which compresses the median nerve and causes numbness.
According to a 2025 review in Diagnostics, nocturnal numbness occurs in 84% of carpal tunnel cases. By contrast, this symptom occurs in only 10% of patients whose numbness stems from other possible issues, such as cervical spondylosis or peripheral neuropathy.
We diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome primarily through a detailed clinical exam and a review of your specific symptoms.
For instance, numbness localized strictly to your thumb, index, and middle fingers may indicate compression of the median nerve, the underlying trigger for CTS. This symptom-based approach often lets us identify the problem accurately without needing uncomfortable nerve conduction tests right away.
During your visit to our Palmdale, CA, or Ridgecrest, CA, offices, Dr. Shah will perform these simple, non-invasive checks. If your case is complex, we can still utilize advanced imaging or testing to guide your personalized treatment plan.
Early treatment focuses on relieving pressure on the median nerve using conservative, non-surgical methods.
The most effective first step is wearing a rigid wrist brace to bed. Guidelines from the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy recommend using a night splint to keep your wrist in a neutral position.
This simple brace prevents you from bending your wrist and spiking pressure on the nerve while you sleep. We may also recommend activity modification, exercises to relieve nerve pressure, or anti-inflammatory medications.
If conservative options do not provide relief, we also offer advanced hand surgery options.
Because ignoring CTS can lead to irreversible muscle wasting at the base of your thumb, we may suggest a minimally invasive procedure to release tight ligaments and permanently relieve the pressure.
Don’t wait for the early warning signs of CTS to turn into permanent numbness, weakness, or pain. Our team at Valley Orthopedic Institute is here to help. We will evaluate your symptoms and design a personalized treatment plan to protect your hand function.
Schedule a visit at our Palmdale or Ridgecrest, California, office today to start your recovery.
