• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Can diabetes directly cause Carpal Tunnel?

J

JollyDodger

Newbie
Messages
3
Greetings.

I have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and am learning how to deal with it. Presently, my most pressing issue is that my medical coverage is being threatened as my employer is trying to pass off a work injury I sustained during my job as something which was caused by my diabetes.

I was involved with a machine which made me use my hands and wrists a lot and after around 6 months of working on it I started getting wrist pains. I found out that I had carpal tunnel at that time. Then a little later I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

I need surgery but my employer is insisting that it is the diabetes which caused my carpal tunnel and thus is not responsible for my injury.

I have looked at numerous sources but have had some conflicting information.

So my question is simple: Can diabetes alone cause sever carpal tunnel syndrome and does anyone know of any medical resources which would back that answer up, one way or another?

Thank you for your time.
 
Diabetes increases the likelihood of developing carpal tunnel - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5532320/ - but I don't think it causes it, to get carpal tunnel syndrome you would still need to be doing some repetitive action, diabetes alone doesn't cause it. If your employer is trying to argue no liability for the surgery they probably need to look at the egg shell skull rule - you're more at risk of carpal tunnel because of diabetes, that doesn't mean their working conditions didn't cause the carpal tunnel you are just more vulnerable to the risks created by the working conditions.

If you are suing for a workplace injury you really need to be getting legal advice because these causation questions would be for medical experts, not a forum.
 
Based on the current state of knowledge, no-one can say that diabetes causes carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the worst that they can say is that it is a risk factor for it, but even that is debatable:-
  • Most people with diabetes (80%) do not develop CTS although people with diabetes are more likely to develop CTS than the general population
  • Diabetes might be a risk factor for CTS, according to a study in 2006 that found that people with CTS were 36% more likely to develop diabetes than people without CTS https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/carpal-tunnel/news/20060822/carpal-tunnel-predict-diabetes
  • However, diabetes might not be a risk factor, it may just be more common in people with known risk factors for CTS such as age, overweight/obese, female, according to a study from 2014 https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2474-15-346
  • Variations in diabetic control did not seem to influence the development of CTS, according to the same study from 2014 - if diabetes was causative you would expect people with poor control and/or longer duration of diabetes to be more likely to develop CTS
  • A study from 2015 looked for an association between pre-diabetes and CTS, but instead found an association between CTS and age and overweight, Again this suggests that the apparent association between diabetes and CTS may be because they share common risk factors of age and BMI https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303846715002383
  • This study from 2017 found no statistically significant relationship between CTS and diabetes and it is well worth reading the discussion section which references previous work which has suggested that diabetes might be a risk factor for CTS https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5532320/
 
I have had/got Carpal tunnel in both hands, both been operated on. used chainsaws my whole working life, have Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome all whilst having diabetes, both consultants that I have seen have said it is the source of work that has given me my conditions , But my diabetes has not helped in them, definitely not caused it. Diabetes is not the cause just a complication of it. Speak to an employment Lawyer who specialises in it. Hope this helps
 
You could also contact ACAS, who offer help to both employees and employers. This link http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1364 gives you some info (employees halfway down the page) and their helpline number. I've found them invaluable in the past and their phone help is free. And @catapillar has it dead right - diabetes doesn't cause CTS, you have to do the repetitive actions. Very best of luck.
 
To turn the argument a bit on its head which I hope might be useful
I looked to sue a GP who made a huge c***up that nearly cost me my leg - the legal position was that I would have had to prove that the same thing wouldnt have happened even if the GP hadnt made the same errors
I would therefore think there would be some burden of proof for the employer to prove that you wouldnt have developed CT syndrome if you didnt have diabetes, or conversley that you would have developed CT anyway, even if you hadnt been using their machine / work practices
 
Thank you all so much.

The initial judge who oversaw my case threw out all of my medical records, as it is her prerogative, and went with a ruling that my carpal tunnel injuries were in fact caused by diabetes and thus I was not injured on the job. I am in the appeal process and appealing on the grounds of plain error due to her ruling.

Thus the only way I can win my appeal is by showing that diabetes cannot directly cause carpal tunnel so the information you have given me is invaluable as if I lose this appeal, I lose my home.

Thank you again.
 
I would contact the above solicitors they will know of precedents that might help you case & also European employment law in view of the fact you are at the appeal stage contact them urgently so they have time to work their magic even if you loose the appeal there is still European law don't give up

as a general point were you represented by a solicitor/lawyer if not why not if so were they a specialist in Employment Law Would you let your G.P. operate on your Brain ???
 
Last edited:

Actually my case is in the US and I was represented by a lawyer. The judge's ruling was a complete shock as she threw out the testimony of my doctors, including their tests as not credible in her eyes.

Fortunately, the one test she kept in also showed that I have carpel tunnel and do not have diabetic nephropathy. She ruled that my carpal tunnel was directly caused by my diabetes thus I need to make sure that I lock down on the fact that diabetes cannot directly cause carpal tunnel to win my appeal on plain error as her ruling is not medically possible.

This forum is the most informed forum I have found and the reason I posted here.

Thank you again.
 
Three members of my band have had operations on carpel tunnel problems - none have diabetes.
I have no symptoms of any problems at all - even though there is Dupytrens contracture in the family. Small sample I know - but zero correlation there.
 
I have had CTS in both hands and 3 ops now i worked as a groundworker which means i was using my hands all day and then worked in a factory which i had to use my hands doing the same thing all shift. I did get told off the doctor that a lot of women who were typists and people who use a laptop all day are at a higher risk of CTS. I was also told that the op might not cure it or may work for a short while, how can a judge throw out information out that is to support your case.
 
I doubt it very much. I think your employer is clutching at straws. I had carpel tunnel long before i had diabetes....caused by repetitive movements in my experience. Im sure mine was from changing gear for 30 years and typing xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…