What causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), and can it be prevented?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a compression of the median nerve in the carpal canal of the wrist. There can be many causes but in the majority of cases the cause is not clear. We do see this with high incidence in certain groups, which indicates there may be some hormonal involvement that leads to tendon inflammation/thickening and thus secondary compression of the nerve. There is no scientific evidence that typing or computer use causes this condition although it is noted that many repetitive activities may exacerbate this condition. It is also noted that symptoms worsen during sleep, while talking on the phone and even driving indicating that certain positions of the wrist can lead to median nerve compression symptoms.