Tingling Fingers and Wrist Pain at Night: Could It Be Carpal Tunnel?
Do you wake up at night with numb, tingling fingers and find yourself shaking your hand to "wake it up"? Does your hand go numb holding your phone or the steering wheel in traffic? These are classic signs of carpal tunnel syndrome, one of the most common causes of wrist and hand pain.
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
The median nerve travels through a narrow tunnel in your wrist to supply feeling to your thumb and fingers. When that tunnel gets tight, the nerve is squeezed. This causes pain, tingling and numbness in the hand.
It affects about 3–6% of adults, usually between 36 and 60, and is two to five times more common in women.
Risk factors include:
- Repetitive wrist work like typing, sewing or using machinery
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes, thyroid problems and rheumatoid arthritis
- Being overweight
- An old wrist fracture
Common signs include:
- Tingling or numbness in the hand, worse at night or early morning
- Relief from shaking or flicking the hand
- Symptoms when gripping a phone, pen or steering wheel
- Weak grip or dropping things
Why early care matters
Caught early, carpal tunnel often settles with simple changes. Left too long, constant numbness can lead to lasting nerve damage and muscle wasting at the base of the thumb. If symptoms don't improve, surgery may be the best option, and we'll refer you promptly.
How physiotherapy helps
At Katasi Physiotherapy, your plan may include:
- A wrist splint for night-time relief
- Hands-on mobilisation of the wrist and nerve
- Desk, keyboard and mouse set-up advice
- Activity changes and regular work breaks
- Strengthening and mobility exercises for other wrist and hand pain
We also treat other wrist and hand problems, including sprains, tendon pain and stiffness after a fracture.
Book your assessment
Don't ignore the tingling. Book at Katasi Physiotherapy, Mogotio Road off Muthithi Road, Westlands. Call or WhatsApp 0705 717 353.
Source: Physiopedia – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
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