An injury of the median nerve causes carpal tunnel syndrome. It is the nerve responsible for the sensation of your fingers, thumb, and palm. It is also responsible for the motor functions of some of the smaller muscles found in the fingers and the thumb. Due to repetitive motions of the wrist, this nerve gets compressed at the wrist area, resulting in pain and numbness of the areas supplied by this nerve. It also causes muscle weakness in the hands and fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome may be considered a disability since you can’t enjoy full, pain-free use of your hand. Your day-to-day activities may be limited by the pain and weakness caused by carpal tunnel syndrome.