Only your GP will be able to definitively tell you if you do or do not have CTS. And yes, you can get it at 17. Any time you overuse your wrists for anything (spending time texting on a phone, and IM'ing on a PC can do this, as well as injuries caused in accdients)you are susceptible to CTS. Your doctor may want to run other tests as well, for rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, and a few other things. But CTS sounds like the most definitve cause for your pain. I am no doctor, but I do have CTS myself and believe me, sometimes nothing will get rid of the agonizing pain.

Hey! I'm 16 and I had it... still have it? I don't really know, my surgury was last week.
See, It's more common for older people to get it, predominantly women because our carpal tunnel is thinner, and even more predominantly in women going through menopause (due to changes in hormone levels). Since we (I hope you don't mind me saying we -- you and I are part of a minority!!!) are younger, the docs send us straight away to run tests. I had an MRI, three blood test, a test to check on nerve eficiency and muscle strength and I wad even tested for leprocy (apparently it can cause a compressing f the nerve -- but it's the ulnar nerve, while cts is the median nerve).
Finally the doc saw that I had no inflamatory process (no tendinitis, etc... nothing that could cause cts) and scheduled my op urgently as he figured that I had a tumor. Turned out luckily I didn't but my nerve had doubled its size and none of the docs had ever seen anything like it, so they took photos to show others... how sick is that??????

now, moral? Get some tests done. It is possible that you have a tumor of the nerve called a shwannomma (99% are benign) and you'd want to get that out asap. However, if you've hit your hand somewhere recently, you may also have fracture cts which is caused (surprise surprise) by fractures, no matter how small!!

It is not impossible for younger people to get cts. Look at you and me!! We're the living proof!! But seriously, whoever told you it was impossible didn't know what they were saying (not meaning to offend anyone) because no matter how rare it is, it certainly is NOT impossible.

Let me know how you're coming along, ok? I've been looking for another younger cts 'victim' to share my experience with!!
xx