A condition caused by tightened carpal retinaculum

A condition caused by tightened carpal retinaculum

• A. Carpal tunnel syndrome
• B. Tendonitis
• C. Carpal syndrome
• D. Ligament sprain

Answer: (C)

Tightening of the carpal retinaculum narrows the carpal tunnel and compresses the median nerve, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal retinaculum forms the roof of this tunnel, so when it becomes tight, space for the median nerve and the flexor tendons decreases. This compression causes numbness, tingling, and sometimes weakness in the areas served by the median nerve (often the thumb, index, and middle fingers, with possible thenar muscle weakness). Other options don’t fit because tendonitis refers to inflammation of a tendon rather than nerve compression inside the carpal tunnel, a ligament sprain implies damage to ligaments, and “carpal syndrome” isn’t the standard term for this condition. The precise, widely used diagnosis is carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tightening of the carpal retinaculum narrows the carpal tunnel and compresses the median nerve, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal retinaculum forms the roof of this tunnel, so when it becomes tight, space for the median nerve and the flexor tendons decreases. This compression causes numbness, tingling, and sometimes weakness in the areas served by the median nerve (often the thumb, index, and middle fingers, with possible thenar muscle weakness).

Other options don’t fit because tendonitis refers to inflammation of a tendon rather than nerve compression inside the carpal tunnel, a ligament sprain implies damage to ligaments, and “carpal syndrome” isn’t the standard term for this condition. The precise, widely used diagnosis is carpal tunnel syndrome.