Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Spanish

What it means

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the name for a group of problems that includes numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in the wrist or hand, and it happens when a nerve in the wrist becomes squeezed. The carpal tunnel is a narrow opening between the bones of the wrist and the ligament that holds them together; the median nerve passes through it and provides feeling to the thumb and first three fingers. If the tendons that share the tunnel become swollen or irritated, they may press on the nerve. In the early stages, symptoms usually start slowly in the dominant hand and happen at night if the wrists are bent during sleep; symptoms often affect both hands.

Spanish term: Síndrome del Túnel Carpiano
Gender and article: masculine: el síndrome del túnel carpiano
Pronunciation: SEEN-droh-meh del TOO-nel kar-PYAH-noh

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
síndrome de túnel carpal	General	Alternate form given by MedlinePlus en español next to the main term; "carpal" mirrors the English word.
compresión del nervio mediano	General	Listed under "Nombres alternativos" in the MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia; a descriptive, clinical name.
neuropatía mediana	General	Listed under "Nombres alternativos" in the MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia.

Síndrome is a masculine noun in Spanish even though it ends in -e, so the article is el: el síndrome del túnel carpiano. The Real Academia Española dictionary records carpiano as the anatomical adjective for the carpus (the wrist bones) and lists túnel carpiano as a set expression.

MedlinePlus en español also accepts síndrome de túnel carpal, and its encyclopedia lists the clinical names compresión del nervio mediano and neuropatía mediana. Electromiografía (electromyography) is abbreviated EMG in both languages.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	My fingers go numb and tingle, especially the thumb, index, and middle fingers.	Se me entumecen los dedos y siento hormigueo, sobre todo en el pulgar, el índice y el dedo medio.
Clinician	When do you notice it most: at night, while driving, or when you hold your phone?	¿Cuándo lo nota más: por la noche, al manejar o al sostener el teléfono?
Patient	It wakes me up at night, and I have to shake my hand to get the feeling back.	Me despierta por la noche y tengo que sacudir la mano para recuperar la sensibilidad.
Clinician	Do you drop things or have trouble holding small objects?	¿Se le caen las cosas o le cuesta trabajo sostener objetos pequeños?
Patient	Yes, my grip feels weak, and the pain sometimes goes up toward my elbow.	Sí, siento que agarro con poca fuerza y a veces el dolor me sube hacia el codo.
Clinician	I am going to bend your wrist and tap over the nerve; tell me what you feel.	Voy a doblarle la muñeca y a darle unos golpecitos sobre el nervio; dígame qué siente.
Clinician	I would like to order a test that measures the electrical activity in your nerves and muscles.	Quisiera pedirle una prueba que mide la actividad eléctrica de los nervios y los músculos.
Patient	Is this carpal tunnel syndrome, and what are my options?	¿Esto es el síndrome del túnel carpiano? ¿Qué opciones tengo?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Spanish (Español)	Síndrome del Túnel Carpiano
Chinese (中文)	腕隧道症候群
Korean (한국어)	손목 터널 증후군
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Hội chứng ống cổ tay
Filipino (Tagalog)	Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Portuguese (Português)	Síndrome do Túnel do Carpo
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	โรคพังผืดกดทับเส้นประสาทที่ข้อมือ
Japanese (日本語)	手根管症候群

Where you'll see it

chartEOBreferralmedical record

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: G56 → Mononeuropathies of upper limb

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Brain and nerves

All terms in this area: Brain and nerves — Cerebro y nervios

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.