Is There Light at the End of the Carpal Tunnel?

Dr. Steven Warfield

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is another debilitating malaise of the modern age.   The condition wasn’t even reported until the late 1880’s and the first surgery performed to correct it wasn’t until 1933.  This repetitive stress injury which was literally borne of the industrial revolution is still alive and well in today’s technological age.  Literally anyone who uses a computer, hand tools or works on an assembly line can succumb to this painful condition.  Studies have also linked CTS to everything from rheumatism and arthritis, to diabetes, hypothyroidism, menopause and pregnancy.

While the causes of the affliction are many, the underlying problem centers on the bones of the wrist (named carpals) which form a tunnel through which the median nerve travels from the forearm to the hand.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is any injury pertaining to this area of the body.  While most people who have CTS only experience it in one wrist, some people have both wrists involved. 

Everyone from hairstylists and dental hygenists to electricians, roofers, golfers and tennis players can experience Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Caused predominantly by repetitive tasks (such as using a computer keyboard or mouse), symptoms can

English: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Animated explanation. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 include everything from pain or numbness in the index, middle finger and thumb, to tingling in the hand or pain that radiates from the wrist to the arm.  It can also cause sufferers to lose fine muscle control in their hands, causing them to have problems gripping objects.  Once CTS takes hold, the condition can be further aggravated by continuing the repetitive motions that caused it in the first place.  This in turn causes swelling in the tendons of the wrist which then pinch the nerve in the carpal tunnel.  While many people combat the discomfort of CTS with pain killers, if left untreated the syndrome can become so acute that surgical intervention can be the only solution.

Signs of CTS:

1.      Being awakened in the dead of night by painful tingling in the hands.

2.      Daytime tingling in the hands.

3.      Inability to hold objects.

4.      Loss of strength in the hands or thumbs.

5.      Shooting pain radiating from the hand up the arm.

Can Chiropractic Care Cure CTS?

Any chiropractic treatment for CTS will be based on the severity of the condition.  Along with adjustment and manipulation of the hand, wrist and forearm, chiropractic treatment for CTS can also 

A rigid splint can keep the wrist straight. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

include joint and soft tissue manipulation of the shoulder and neck along with a regimen of exercises of the neck, arm and hand.  (Arm, wrist and finger stretches before beginning repetitive tasks are highly recommended.)  Your chiropractor can also recommend dietary supplements and vitamins that are known to reduce inflammation. Massaging the area and putting ice on your wrist may also help alleviate the symptoms.  Immobilization of the affected wrist(s) may also be recommended while you sleep.

Women are more than twice as likely to develop CTS as men.  People in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s are most vulnerable to contracting CTS.

Most importantly, your chiropractor can also help you modify your environment to minimize the factors that tend to aggravate the condition.  If your computer keyboard or mouse is to blame, there are modifications that can be made to your system, including a padded wrist rest or an adjustable keyboard table.

Above all, the most important factor to seeing the light at the end of the Carpal Tunnel is to take corrective action and seek treatment before the condition completely derails your active lifestyle. 

  Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments for back pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat auto accident victims with state-of-the-art technologies.  For more information visit http://endyourpain.org or http://chiropractic-jacksonville-fl.com