Carpal Tunnel (which I had when I was pregnant with both kids) can cause intermittent numbness, but the numbness is specific to certain fingers:



MS spinal lesions (C-spine, I think) can cause a very similar sensation, but it often gets all the fingers, and often on both hands. Hence, whether it is actually carpal tunnel, or just something similar, seems to be up for debate:

"Medical Conditions that contribute to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

People with diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, hypothyroidism, or multiple sclerosismay be more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. These conditions affect the nerves directly, making them more vulnerable to compression."

http://www.mamashealth.com/bodyparts/carpal.asp

Then again, this PubMed article seems to suggest they are different conditions:

"We describe 12 patients with a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome in whom carpal tunnel release was unsuccessful and another neurologic disorder was diagnosed subsequently. Final diagnoses included polyneuropathy, radiculopathy, motor neuron disease, spondylotic myelopathy, syringomyelia, and multiple sclerosis. Sources of error by the electromyographer and treating physician were identified. Care must be taken to avoid an inappropriate carpal tunnel operation when clinical or electrodiagnostic features are atypical."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10761498

And a discussion I've read on the possible connection:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/281502

Cherie