DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I'm a homebuilder and have begun experiencing numbness and tingling in my hands. Sometimes I drop things because I can't get a good grip. A friend suggested I might have carpal tunnel syndrome. But doesn't that mostly affect people who use computers all day? Can you explain more about the condition?
ANSWER: Working with your hands day after day can take a toll on them, causing pain, numbness and weakness. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one condition that can affect many types of occupations, including farmers, truck drivers, factory and construction workers, and others.
Carpal tunnel is a condition caused by compression of the median nerve located in the wrist. This nerve provides feeling to the thumb and the index, middle and part of the ring fingers, and also sends signals to the muscles around the base of the thumb.
