Question
Hi Dr. Ford,

Thank you for taking your time to help us out!

Can you please check the following symptoms and help us figure out if anything other than CTS may be the cause of all this?

Onset: three weeks
- swelling in hands
- numbness
- gradual loss of sensation in fingertips
- feeling of stiffness in fingers
- both hands affected (R worst than L)
- aching pain occasional
- loss of strength in hands
- little finger also numb, but better sense of feeling than the other fingers
- positive Phalen test

Background:
age: 52
- two months ago, switched work environment -- bad computer set up (although doesn't do much typing) and very frigid A/C.
- just experienced menopause
- anemic (currently taking iron supplements and ibuprofen)

Currently wearing splint and doing gentle range-of-motion exercises, but hands still a bit swollen.

Thank you so much!!!


Answer
Ashley,

Sorry to hear about your condition. Actually I am not a doctor but a health researcher.

Some of your symptoms are not really consistent with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. CTS does not usually present itself with swelling also it does not include the little finger because it is served by a different nerve than the median nerve that goes to the other fingers. Also while it is not uncommon to see both hands involved, the onset usually is not so close together.

Of course it is possible that something else is causing the swelling and the anemia. There is a type of anemia that can cause your symptoms and that you do have carpal tunnel.

It would be advisable to see your doctor for further testing. The Phalen test is not the most accurate test. Also your doctor needs to rule out diabetes, arthritis, or fractures. Also a problem in your cervical spine (neck area) between C-6 and C-7 can cause most of these symptoms. There are also autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus that can cause all of these symptoms.

When you see your doctor again make sure that you talk about the anemia and the hand and finger symptoms together. They may be separate issues but they may both be symptoms of the same condition.

I wish you the best.

Rusty
http://arthritis-symptom.com/a-c/carpel-Tunnel-Syndrome.htm