Final answer:
The 34-year-old pregnant patient likely has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, a condition where the median nerve is compressed, leading to symptoms in the hand and forearm. Treatment can be conservative with wrist splints or involve corticosteroid injections or surgery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The symptoms described by the 34-year-old pregnant patient suggest a diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). This condition involves the compression of the median nerve as it travels through the carpal tunnel in the wrist, which can lead to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, as well as the palm. The patient's pregnancy may contribute to the development of CTS due to fluid retention and hormonal changes that can cause swelling in the tunnel.
Treatment options for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include the use of a wrist splint to immobilize the wrist, corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation, and in more severe cases, surgery to release the pressure on the median nerve by cutting the carpal ligament. Fortunately, the recurrence of CTS post-surgery is rare, but without any treatment, muscle weakness and wasting can result from the lack of nervous stimulation by the median nerve.