The condition caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist is commonly known as which syndrome?

• A. Carpal tunnel syndrome
• B. Tennis elbow
• C. De Quervain's tenosynovitis
• D. Guyon's canal syndrome

Answer: (A)

Compression of the median nerve at the wrist is carpal tunnel syndrome. This happens when the nerve is pressed under the flexor retinaculum as it traverses the carpal tunnel, impairing nerve signals. Typical signs are numbness or tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers (often worse at night) and possible weakness of the thumb muscles (thenar eminence). The other conditions involve different locations or nerves: tennis elbow is elbow-related, De Quervain's tenosynovitis affects the tendons near the thumb, and Guyon's canal syndrome involves the ulnar nerve at the wrist, causing numbness in the ring and little fingers.