a combination of paraesthesiae (pins and needles), numbness, and pain affecting all of the hand except the little finger and half of the ring finger. There may be weakness of the thumb due to wasting of the thenar eminence. It is caused by pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the wrist (see carpal tunnel), which may result from any continuous repetitive movements of the hand, such as keyboarding. The condition is common in rheumatoid arthritis, myxoedema, pregnancy, and at the menopause. Treatment is by surgical release of the nerve.
Medical dictionary. 2011.