'Oh, my aching wrist!'

CARPAL TUNNEL syndrome (CTS), a painful disorder in one or both wrists, has become painfully familiar to us in the information age.

The bones that make up the wrist fit together with an opening running through the center of the wrist. It's through this canal that the nerves and tendons pass to get to the hand and fingers. For folks who have CTS, the median nerve is compressed as it travels through this carpal tunnel, causing pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the hand and fingers.

Some of the risk factors include pregnancy, obesity, smoking, a history of wrist injury and even arthritis. Some folks with diabetes or thyroid disease also are at higher risk.

Some people develop CTS because they use their hands and wrists for repetitive motions, especially when the hands are positioned lower than the wrists, such as when typing.

You can ease mild symptoms by resting hands and wrists between activities such as typing. For acute symptoms, ice wrists for 10 to 15 minutes or wear wrist splints at night. If pain persists, talk to a doctor.