Doctor's Notes on Carpal Tunnel vs. Arthritis
Carpal tunnel is a syndrome of median nerve irritation in the wrist that leads to numbness, tingling, and weakness of the hand, usually affecting the thumb, index, and middle fingers. In contrast, arthritis is a rheumatic disease that can cause inflammation and pain in the joints almost anywhere in the body and/or in muscles or fibrous tissue. There are over 100 forms of arthritis.
Carpal tunnel causes are due to inflammation of the median nerve in the carpal canal in the wrist. Risk factors for carpal tunnel include wrist fracture, diabetes, pregnancy, arthritis, alcoholism, and extreme wrist flexion and extension; the frequency and duration of repetitive wrist use is not clear. Potential causes of the many forms of arthritis are variable; injury, abnormal metabolism (gout), genetics (osteoarthritis), infections (Lyme disease), and an overactive immune system (rheumatoid arthritis) are examples.
What Are the Treatments of Carpal Tunnel vs. Arthritis?
If carpal tunnel treatments are started early (rest, cold packs, avoid activities that increase symptoms), it is possible that it can resolve the problem. Other non-surgical therapy includes
Surgical therapy:
- Endoscopic surgery: device to see inside the carpal tunnel and to cut the tunnel to remove pressure on the median nerve
- Open surgery: palm incision to cut the tunnel to release the nerve
Treatments for arthritis uses NSAIDs and steroids like those used for carpal tunnel but also include the following;
- DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs)
- Biologic agents
- Targeted therapy
Another difference between arthritis therapy and carpal tunnel is that surgery for severe arthritis may include the following:
- Joint repair
- Joint replacement
- Joint fusion
Carpal tunnel surgery does not involve the above arthritis surgery.
Rheumatoid Arthritis : What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Quiz
QuestionThe term arthritis refers to stiffness in the joints.
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Arthritis
Arthritis is inflammation of the joints. Arthritis causes include injury, abnormal metabolism (such as gout), inheritance (such as in osteoarthritis), infections (such as in the arthritis of Lyme disease), and an overactive immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis [RA] and systemic lupus erythematosus). Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited joint function. Treatment may include pain medications, pain-relieving creams, and dietary supplements. -
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disease of the hand characterized by numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness. The disease typically affects the thumb, index, and middle fingers. -
How Do You Know When You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
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Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis)
Rheumatoid arthritis, often called RA, is a chronic (long-standing) disease that damages and eventually destroys the joints of the body. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), or juvenile arthritis, is not a single disease but a group of diseases. Symptoms and signs include fever and joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. Treatment focuses on relieving pain, improving function, and preventing joint damage. -
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is not a single disease but a culmination of problems that leads to skeletal joint failure. Symptoms include aching, stiffness, and bone enlargement. Diet, exercise, pain medication, and sometimes surgery treat osteoarthritis. -
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a specific autoimmune condition in which a person has both psoriasis and arthritis. Some psoriatic arthritis symptoms and signs include scaly red skin on certain areas of the body, nail changes, eye inflammation, iritis, and inflammation of the muscles and tendons where they connect to the bone. There are a variety of psoriatic arthritis types. The goal of psoriatic arthritis treatment medications and lifestyle changes is to control inflammation. -
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Rheumatoid arthritis (often called RA) is a chronic (long-standing) disease that damages the joints of the body. Symptoms and signs of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain, swelling, inflammation, stiffness, warmth, muscle aches, weakness, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, and malaise. Treatment may involve physical therapy, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy, heat and cold treatments, joint replacements, and medications. -
Rheumatoid Arthritis Medications
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease that causes joint inflammation. Medications for RA include salicylates, NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors, DMARDs, biologics, and corticosteroids, among others. -
Wrist Pain
Wrist pain causes include injury or disease, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive-motion injuries, sprains, strains, or fractures. Symptoms and signs of a wrist injury include pain, swelling, warmth, dislocation, or deformity. Treatment for wrist pain is to treat the cause. Over-the-counter medicine like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). Home remedies for wrist pain relief include applying ice to the area.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.