It’s often a joke in office-related humor (“I’m going to get carpal tunnel syndrome going through all these reports”), but as is often the case, the joking hides a grim truth. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) does affect people all over the world, and once detected, the treatment can be quite invasive.CTS affects the median nerve travelling through the carpal tunnel (the passageway in the wrist that connects the forearm to the palm). Specifically, CTS refers to a compression of that nerve, which results in numbness and/or tingling in the fingers, pain in the wrists, and pain in the arm and shoulder. People afflicted with CTS also experience swelling of the hand, which seems to worsen at night. If left untreated, the muscles involved can atrophy. (more…)