Question
Due to the hormonal differences between a male and female, with an increased likelihood of fluid retention occurring in a female, the chances of a female developing carpal tunnel syndrome is consequently and statistically higher.
It is precisely the same reason why carpal tunnel syndrome is common in pregnancy and in post-partum females.
Statistically speaking, carpal tunnel syndrome in women is more common. Why this is the case could be due to a variety of reasons. Firstly, women have smaller wrists. So, they have less space in the carpal tunnel to begin with. There's less tolerance for swelling inside the tunnel. Smaller wrists, smaller tunnel, and then less tolerance for increased volume inside the tunnel. So, if the tendons swell from computer work, obviously there's less space and these tendons press on the nerve.
Secondly, women are often doing a lot of manual work, which would precipitate carpal tunnel. Housework, for example: shopping, packing, squeezing towels, doing laundry, folding clothes, all repetitive tasks. And that, again, puts them at risk. So, the reasons are anatomical and occupational, making women more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. There also is a third contributing factor as well: hormonal changes.
These are probably the top three reasons why I think women get it more often. Regarding the hormonal element, there are certain periods in their lives like the hormonal changes of pregnancy making swelling of the soft tissues much more common. So all the elastic, soft and smooth muscles in the body tend to relax then. Their hips get bigger, the joints are loose during pregnancy that allows the pelvis to expand to accommodate the baby.
These are the effects of estrogen during pregnancy, this allows fluid to leak. This is how women get fluid retention around their ankles, they get swollen fingers, and they can get swelling around their tendons which can precipitate. These swollen tendons go through the carpal tunnel, pressing on the nerve causing numbness in what we know as carpal tunnel syndrome.
I think the combination of these three factors results in a higher incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome in women.
Hi Carpal tunnel Syndrome (CTS) can sometimes be tricky. It is a compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel at the wrist. That compressive band is always there. Hence non-surgical methods, like anti-inflammatory medication, injections and splinting can all be done first. Symptoms may improve, but they may recur. As the causative problem is still present. Thus, it is hard to answer your question of how long does it take to get better. It also depends on whether there are other causes. Pregnancy is a risk factor for CTS, and the symptoms resolve after delivery.
Open surgery is preferred over endoscopic surgery in carpal tunnel syndrome in the following conditions: Revision carpal tunnel release requiring neurolysis of the median nerve and transposing an ulnarly-based fat pad flap over the median nerve. End-stage carpal tunnel syndrome requiring a tendon transfer to restore thumb abduction function due to complete paralysis of the abductor pollicis brevis muscle. These procedures are more complex and require proper exposure of the median nerve. In straightforward carpal tunnel syndrome, either method will yield similar results.
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