--- Hi Brandi,

I have worked with hundreds of people who have been told they have
carpal tunnel syndrome and were recommended to have surgery. It turned
out that all they had was repetitive strain injury of the muscles that
cross over the median nerve.

Go to www.aboutcts.com and look at the pages that are called "Anatomy
Lessons." You'll see graphics of all the muscles that impinge on the
nerve. All of the muscles will cause numbness, and the muscles of the
forearm (flexors and extensors) and the thumb (opponens pollicis) will
cause wrist pain.

Wishing you well,
Julie Donnelly