Glossary for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Acromegaly: A hormonal disorder involving excess growth hormone production by the pituitary gland.
• Amyloidosis: A rare group of metabolic disorders where a protein called amyloid accumulates in body organs and tissues where it can cause damage and is potentially fatal. Symptoms depend on the organs involved. There are numerous forms of the condition: primary amyloidosis, secondary amyloidosis, hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis and familial amyloidosis.
• Amyloidosis beta2-microglobulinic: Amyloidosis is a rare group of metabolic disorders where a protein called amyloid accumulates in body organs and tissues where it can cause damage. The type of amyloid protein involved in this type of amyloidosis is beta-2-microglobulin. The abnormal protein tends to be deposited in parts of the body such as joints, bones and carpal tunnel but can also be found in the gastrointestinal tract and other organs.
• Amyloidosis, Familial: Amyloidosis is a rare group of metabolic disorders where a protein called amyloid accumulates in body organs and tissues where it can cause damage. In the familial form, the type of amyloid involved is usually a plasma protein called transthyretin. The main parts of the body affected are the nerves, heart and kidneys.
• Amyloidosis, Inherited: Amyloidosis is a rare group of metabolic disorders where a protein called amyloid accumulates in body organs and tissues where it can cause damage. In the inherited form, the type of amyloid involved is usually a plasma protein called transthyretin. The main parts of the body affected are the nerves, heart and kidneys.
• Angina Pectoris: Variant of Angina Pectoris, where episodic chest pain occurs without exertion or provocation, due to a transient spasm of a coronary artery; more common in women
• Arthritis: General name for any type of joint inflammation, but often means age-related osteoarthritis.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome pain: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), or median neuropathy at the wrist, is a medical condition in which the median nerve is compressed at the wrist, leading to paresthesias, numbness and muscle weakness in the hand.
• Chat room addiction: Chat room addiction refers to the excessive amounts of time spent on computer chat rooms. When the person attempts to reduce the amount of time spent on the activity they suffer withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and anxiety. The preoccupation can cause problems with relationships and even with work performance.
• Chronic kidney failure: Gradual failure of the kidneys over a period of time
• Computer addiction: Computer addiction refers to the excessive amounts of time spent on the computer. The preoccupation can cause problems with relationships and even with work performance. The time spent on the computer does not refer to work-related activities.
• Diabetes: Failing or reduced ability of the body to handle sugars.
• Diabetic neuropathy: Nerve damage from diabetes affecting any body part; most commonly feet.
• Dialysis-related amyloidosis: Amyloidosis (protein deposits) from kidney dialysis treatment.
• Edema: Fluid retention in tissues
• Finger numbness: Loss of feeling or sensation
• Finger pain: Pain affecting the fingers
• Finger paresthesia: Finger tingling, prickling, numbness or burning sensations
• Finger symptoms: Symptoms affecting any fingers
• Gaming addiction: Gaming addiction refers to the excessive amounts of time spent on online computer games. When the person attempts to reduce the amount of time spent on the activity they suffer withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and anxiety. The preoccupation can cause problems with relationships and even with work performance.
• Hand conditions: Any condition that affects the hand
• Hand weakness: Weakness of one or both hands
• Hereditary amyloidosis: An inherited form of amyloidosis which is characterized by a build up of the protein amyloid in tissues and organs. This form of amyloidosis tends to affect mainly the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms are determined by the size and location of the amyloid deposits.
• Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies: A rare disorder where the peripheral nerves are more sensitive to pressure than normal which results in recurring periods of numbness, tingling and sometimes loss of muscle function. The condition can affect one or more nerves such as the carpal tunnel nerve. Permanent damage to peripheral nerves can result from recurring episodes. The severity of symptoms are greatly variable from virtually asymptomatic to disability.
• Hypersecretion of growth hormone: increased production of growth hormone from the pituitary gland
• Hypothyroidism: Too little thyroid hormone production.
• Immunoglobulinic amyloidosis: A disease characterized by the abnormal deposit of amyloid in various parts of the body, especially organs such as the kidneys, heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract and peripheral nerves. It occurs when plasma cells in the bone marrow produce too much of a protein portion of an antibody called the light chain. The exact symptoms are determined by the extent of the organ involvement.
• Injury: Any damage inflicted in the body
• Limb conditions: Medical conditions affecting the upper or lower limbs.
• Lithium poisoning: A type of heavy metal poisoning caused by excessive exposure to lithium.
• Menopause: The end of female menstruation and fertility.
• Mononeuritis multiplex: A rare neurological condition where nerve damage occurs at more than one site. Nerve damage can result from conditions such as diabetes mellitus, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and blood vessel diseases.
• Mucolipidosis III: A rare metabolic disorder where deficiency of a particular enzyme leads to the buildup of mucopolysaccharides and mucolipids in the body which is harmful to the body and leads to premature death.
• Mucolipidosis type 3 A: A rare inherited biochemical disorder involving the progressive accumulation of certain chemicals (glycoproteins and glycolipids) in body tissues due to deficiency of an enzyme (UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-I-phosphotransferase) needed to process it.
• Mucopolysaccharidoses: A lysosomal storage disorder that is caused by a deficiency of the ability to metabolise glycosaminoglycans
• Mucopolysaccharidosis type 2 Hunter syndrome- mild form: A rare inherited biochemical disorder characterized by the accumulation of mucopolysaccharides (glycosaminoglycans) in various body tissues due to insufficient amounts of the enzyme (iduronidate 2-sulfatase) needed to break it down.
• Mucopolysaccharidosis type 6: A rare inherited biochemical disorder characterized by the accumulation of mucopolysaccharides (glycosaminoglycans) in various body tissues due to insufficient amounts of the enzyme (Arylsulfatase ?) needed to break it down.
• Muscle atrophy: Decrease in size and bulk of muscle.
• Muscle weakness: A condition which is characterized by an inability of the muscles to function at their full strenght
• Musculoskeletal conditions: Medical conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system of bones, muscles and related structures.
• Myeloma: A primary malignancy of the plasma cells
• Myxedema: Skin and tissue disorder usually due to hypothyroidism
• Neuropathy hereditary with liability to pressure palsies:
• Obesity: An increase in the body weight greater than that required for normal function that is characterised by the accumulation of excessive fat
• Occupational vibrational exposure: Exposure to vibration can cause a variety of health problems such as back pain, blood vessel problems and nerve conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. This sort of exposure most often occurs in outdoor occupations such as farming, construction, forestry and transportation. Vibration may involve the whole body (e.g. driving forklifts) or only one or two limbs (e.g. using power tools).
• Oral contraceptives -- Teratogenic Agent: There is evidence to indicate that exposure to Oral contraceptives during pregnancy may have a teratogenic effect on the fetus. A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. The likelihood and severity of defects may be affected by the level of exposure and the stage of pregnancy that the exposure occurred at.
• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition characterised by mechanical disrturbances due to degradation of joints. It is the most common form of arthritis, and the leading cause of chronic disability.
• Osteomyelitis: A bone inflammation caused by bacteria. The inflammation usually originates in another part of the body and is transported to the bone via the blood.
• Pain conditions: Diseases characterized by pain and pain-like symptoms.
• Peripheral neuropathy: Peripheral neuropathy is the term for damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of the nerve or from the side-effects of systemic illness.
• Pinched Nerve: Nerve paralysis from nerve pressure or entrapment.
• Pituitary tumors, adult: A benign or cancer tumor that develops in the tissue of the pituitary gland in adults. The pituitary gland produces various hormones and some pituitary tumors (functioning tumors) can affect the secretion of one or more of these hormones resulting in a range of symptoms depending on the exact location of the tumor. Some pituitary tumors do not affect hormone production (nonfunctioning tumors).
• Pregnancy: The condition of supporting a fetus from conception till birth.
• Repetitive Motion Disorders: Any of various injuries caused by repetitive motion.
• Repetitive Strain Injury: Various conditions with inflammation from repetitive movements.
• Rheumatic conditions: Any condition that affects ones joints
• Rheumatoid arthritis: Autoimmune form of arthritis usually in teens or young adults.
• Sjogren's Syndrome: Autoimmune disease damaging the eye tear ducts and other glands.
• Syringomyelia: Spinal cord cysts
• Thoracic outlet syndrome: Pinched shoulder/arm nerve.
• Tingling fingers: Finger tingling, prickling or pins-and-needles sensations
• Ulnar nerve injury: Damage to the ulnar nerve in the elbow and arm.
• Upper limb conditions: Any medical condition affecting the upper limbs, i.e. the arms, elbows, hands, etc.
• Weight loss: Loss of body weight.
• Wrist conditions: Any condition that affects an individuals wrist
• Wrist fracture: A condition that is characterised by the fracture of one of the bones that comprise the wrist
• Wrist injury: A condition that is characterised by an injury to the wrist

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