Which nerve is compressed in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Which nerve is compressed in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

• A. Ulnar nerve
• B. Radial nerve
• C. Median nerve
• D. Axillary nerve

Answer: (C)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome happens when the median nerve is squeezed as it passes through the carpal tunnel at the wrist, under the flexor retinaculum along with several flexor tendons. This compression gives sensory symptoms in the thumb, index, middle, and the radial half of the ring finger, and can weaken thumb movement because the thenar muscles are affected. The other nerves don’t travel through this tunnel: the ulnar nerve travels to the hand via Guyon’s canal and would cause different finger numbness and weakness; the radial nerve mainly supplies the dorsal hand and wrist extensors; the axillary nerve supplies the shoulder. So the median nerve is the one that's compressed.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome happens when the median nerve is squeezed as it passes through the carpal tunnel at the wrist, under the flexor retinaculum along with several flexor tendons. This compression gives sensory symptoms in the thumb, index, middle, and the radial half of the ring finger, and can weaken thumb movement because the thenar muscles are affected. The other nerves don’t travel through this tunnel: the ulnar nerve travels to the hand via Guyon’s canal and would cause different finger numbness and weakness; the radial nerve mainly supplies the dorsal hand and wrist extensors; the axillary nerve supplies the shoulder. So the median nerve is the one that's compressed.