Difference Between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Tendonitis

Wrist Pain- Tendon Injury – Wrist Tendonitis – Repetitive Sprain Injury – however you may want to call it, the strain can be in the form of innocent taps on the keyboards when typing. The strain can be something we do every day like lifting heavy weight barbells in a repetitive motion at the gym can be so innocent until our wrist gives out.

In contrast, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a pathology that can result from repetitive strain. That’s because Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a disease, like diabetes. If you already have a predisposition for diabetes, obesity will trigger it, just like repetitive strain can trigger Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Since Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is hereditary, if you have a close relative with it you are at higher risk.

This is a quick self-assessment, not a diagnosis. It’s something you can do at home which potentially shows if you have carpal tunnel syndrome. Of course, these are not definitive tests and you should consult your doctor for a thorough diagnosis.

If you answer YES to any of these tests, then you may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome instead of Tendonitis.

1. With your fingers straight, flex your left wrist gently and as far as possible (i.e., bring your fingers as close to your wrist as you can). Then hold this position for 1 minute. (This is the Phalen maneuver.) Do your symptoms appear or get worse? Do you feel numbness?
2. Next, with your hand straight, lightly tap the skin over your wrist-crease. Tap left to right, and back again (This is the Tinel test.)  Does it result in a tingling or “pins-and-needles” in the hand?
3. Now, with your hand straight, using your opposite thumb apply firm pressure to the entire width of your wrist-crease for 30 seconds. Relax one minute, and then apply firm pressure on the palm of the wrist-crease for 30 seconds. (This is the Durkan test.)  Do either of these make your symptoms appear or get worse? Do you feel numbness?

If you answered NO to the above questions, then try the following test. If you answer YES to this test, then you may have Tendonitis.

Use two fingers to tap your flexor tendons just below your wrist-crease. These are the rope-like structures on the palm side (not the back side) of your forearm. Tap each tendon all along its length, half way to your elbow. Tap several times up and down on each tendon. Then tap vigorously all around your forearm. Does any of that reproduce your symptoms or make them worse?

What to do next after you answer these questions

If your self-assessment indicates you have either Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Wrist Tendonitis, your next step should be to seek treatment. Your best bet is to have regular massage, which is known to permanently alleviate symptoms of both conditions with 100% effectiveness. To do this, you can visit our website to see the hours of operations and schedule your appointment at the earliest time available. The staff at Centers of Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine are looking forward to helping you!