Carpal Tunnel Syndrome & Chiropractic Care

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common and widely known of the entrapment neuropathies where the body’s peripheral nerves are compressed or traumatized.  CTS is a painful disorder that occurs in 2.7% of the general population more common in women than in men, and at the age bracket of 40-50 years.

Carpal tunnel syndrome or CTS is a common and progressive painful disorder caused by the compression of the median nerve with the wrist.  CTS symptoms are characterized by pain (particularly at night), pins and needles, numbness and weakness in the parts of the hands supplied by the median nerve.  Repetitive hand movements, arthritis, as well as pregnancy that cause swelling inside the wrist can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

The carpal tunnel is a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones below the wrist at the heel of the hand which houses the median nerve and tendons.  When tendons are irritated and tunnels are swollen, this can cause the median nerve to be compressed and further result to pain, weakness or numbness of the hand and wrist, which may radiate up the arm.

Progression of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms

A person suffering from CTS can feel a burning, tingling or itching numbness in the palm of the hands and fingers especially the thumb and index finger.  Symptoms normally start and develop gradually.  CTS patients report that first symptoms generally appear at night and may feel shaking their hands when they wake up in the morning.

CTS often start with ‘pins and needles ‘characterized with impaired or diminished sensation with the pals usually unaffected.  As CTS gets worse, there is a progressive loss of coordination and strength in the thumb.  The CTS patient might find performing easy movements of the thumb a challenge (e.g. forming a fist, grasping small objects, opening a bottle of soda, typing on keyboard, or doing up buttons).  Chronic or untreated CTS may result to not being able to tell the difference between hot or cold and the muscles at the base of the thumb may waste away.

Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If a person repeatedly use finger with high force and use extreme wrist motion and vibration, carpal tunnel syndrome is more likely to occur.  Sometimes, specific risk factors are rarely found (idiopathic) but a variety of causes contribute to its development.

  • Forceful or repetitive hand movements
  • Wrist injury (wrist dislocation or fracture)
  • Structural problems in the wrist joint
  • Degenerative and Rheumatoid arthritis as well as other joint disorders
  • Pregnancy and fluid accumulation states
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Heredity
  • Body mass (Obesity combined with wrist shape)
  • A cyst or tumor in the carpal tunnel

Management of CTS depends on the cause.  Diagnosis can be determined by nerve conduction study, blood tests or the use of imaging equipment (e.g. X-rays, Ultrasound).  A wrist splint may help when the hand is subjected to rapid movements and awkward positions.

Carpal tunnel syndrome and Chiropractic Treatment

Surgery to break free from CTS has a promising success rate, but in most cases it commonly treated by chiropractors.  Since CTS is a complicated condition that develops from multiple causes, the treatment is often somewhere in between the wrist, elbow, shoulder, or neck.  Getting to the cause, and  solving the issue without surgery is what chiropractic is a about given the fact that research studies have concluded that chiropractic care and conservative medical treatment are equally effective for people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Modifying work habits as well as treating a related medical condition can also help. Administration of anti-inflammatory drugs, splinting, and surgery are just some of the traditional ways that medical doctors manage CTS.  On the other hand, chiropractic doctors present a more conservative approach.  Chiropractic treatment begins with joint manipulation or mobilization.  Other treatment options include Soft tissue treatments and specific exercises.  These chiropractic care options help release muscle tension and remove adhesions that may be impinging on the nerves, allow the joints in the wrists to move freely, minimize muscle strain,  improve small muscle strength, as well as provide nutritional advice, and suggestions on modifying the work environment to prevent over use of the carpal tunnel and surrounding joints.

Contact a chiropractor now for an advice on how to treat this condition.