carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)

Painful wrist caused by cumulative injury (trauma) resulting from frequently repetitive finger and wrist movements (such as in typing). It is accompanied by ache, burning, numbness, and/or tingling in the thumb, fingers, and forearm, sometimes radiating to the shoulder joint. CTS is induced by compression on the median nerve between the carpal ligament and other structures within the carpal tunnel (a conduit for median nerve and the flexor tendons). Usually correctible by an early adjustment in work schedule, it may require corrective surgery in the advanced stages. CTS is one of the several disorders grouped under the term repetitive stress injury (RSI). Carpal is Latin for, bones of the wrist.