Academy Issues New Guidelines on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

New guidelines from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons on the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome do not recommend the routine use of magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, for diagnosis. In addition, the guidelines state that thenar atrophy, or diminished thumb muscle mass, is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome; however, a lack of thenar atrophy is not enough to rule out the disorder. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common source of hand numbness and pain affecting approximately 3 million Americans — primarily women — each year. The AAOS guidelines rate each recommendati...