The wrist bones, known as the ‘carpals,’ create a tunnel or passageway for tendons, the median nerve, and arteries that go into and supply your hand. The carpal tunnel space is small, so decreased motion or inflammation can cause irritation and symptoms of tingling, numbness, and feelings of a dead hand. The median nerve innervates the muscles of the thumb, pointer, and middle finger, so when it gets trapped or inflamed, it creates “carpal tunnel syndrome.”
Carpal tunnel most often happens between the ages of 45-60 and occurs more in women than men. It may start where you can shake it off, but if left untreated, it can become constant and annoying.
Our approach will consist of decreasing inflammation of the nerve in the carpal tunnel and creating room and motion to give the nerve room to move freely. Most often carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a lack of free space in the wrist for the nerves and tendons to pass through.
Sometimes carpal tunnel can be a catch-all for any hand or wrist pain. However, not all hand or wrist pain is carpal tunnel. Your symptoms may come from somewhere besides your carpal tunnel if you are experiencing whole-hand symptoms, wrist pain, numbness, and tingling in your ring and pinkie finger. Nerve entrapment can happen in the forearm, pectoralis muscle group, or neck, which can cause hand symptoms. Wrist pain can occur for many different reasons as well.
Other hand and wrist pain conditions include trigger finger, pronator syndrome, arthritis, and DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis. Because of this, a proper evaluation and trial of conservative care are important before starting invasive procedures.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common condition we see here at chiropractic pain solutions and we have the techniques and expertise to help get you the relief you have been looking for. We have a very expansive treatment style because carpal tunnel is a complex issue and can have many different causes.