Carpal tunnel syndrome typically feels like numbness, tingling, or a "pins and needles" sensation in the thumb, index, middle, and sometimes the ring fingers, but usually not the little finger
. People often describe it as burning, sharp, or aching pain, especially in these fingers, and sometimes extending up the arm
. The sensation can feel like electric shocks or a swollen feeling in the fingers, even if they don't look swollen
. Symptoms often start gradually and tend to worsen at night, sometimes waking people from sleep. Shaking or moving the hand can temporarily relieve the discomfort
. Over time, the symptoms may become constant and include weakness in the hand, difficulty gripping objects, dropping things, and trouble with fine motor tasks like buttoning a shirt
. In severe cases, muscle loss at the base of the thumb and permanent nerve damage can occur
. The discomfort is usually more about numbness and tingling rather than sharp pain; if burning pain is present, it might suggest other nerve issues like diabetic neuropathy
. The symptoms result from pressure on the median nerve in the wrist, which reduces blood flow to the nerve, especially when wrist position or lowered blood pressure during sleep increases pressure inside the carpal tunnel
. In summary, carpal tunnel syndrome feels like numbness, tingling, burning, or aching in the thumb and first three fingers, often worse at night, with possible weakness and difficulty using the hand normally
