How to Pronounce Carpal Tunnel

Say it like this: KAR-pal TUN-el. The first part rhymes with "car," and the second part sounds like "tunnel" (like a tube you walk through). Put the stress on the first syllable of each word: KAR-pal and TUN-el.

"Carpal" comes from the Latin word for wrist bones. In anatomy, "carpal" always refers to something related to the wrist or the small bones in the wrist called carpals.

Just like a tunnel you drive through, the carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway—but it's in your wrist instead of a mountain. It's a space where nerves and tendons pass through on their way through your hand.

"Carpal" has 2 syllables (CAR-pal) and "tunnel" has 2 syllables (TUN-el), so together the phrase has 4 syllables: CAR-pal TUN-el.

Many people say "CAR-ple" (rhyming with "purple"), but the correct way is "KAR-pal" (rhyming with "car" or "star"). The last syllable should sound like "pal," not "ple."

Doctors sometimes shorten it to "CT," but when you say it out loud, you'd say "C-T" (letter by letter). However, "carpal tunnel" is the most common and clearest way to say it.

You might hear "carpal bones" (the small bones in your wrist), "carpal ligament" (the tissue that forms the top of the tunnel), or "carpal tunnel syndrome" (when there's a problem in that space). All of these use "carpal" the same way.

Sure! Here's an example: "The doctor examined my wrist and said the median nerve runs through the carpal tunnel." This sentence just describes where the carpal tunnel is located and what passes through it.