Q: I am a 56 years old female experiencing occasional tingling in my left hand. My index finger and middle finger just start drawing downward or sideways. There is no pain but it feels as if they have been pulled tight. Once, both fingers moved solidly to the left and froze in that position for about 15 seconds. Please guide. Am I suffering from any disease? I do clerical job, which involves typing.

A:These could be symptoms of either carpal tunnel syndrome (in which the nerve supplying the thumb, index and middle fingers gets crushed between wrist bones), or a disorder called dystonia, where sudden 'twisting', 'pulling' movements in some muscles can occur episodically. You must get some basic investigations like nerve conduction studies, X-rays of the lower cervical spine or chest to look for an extra 'cervical' rib, and see a specialist. Almost all tertiary care government institutes have specialists (neurologists) whom you can visit.