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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, How Chiropractic Can Help!

Jun 05, 2020

Carpal tunnel is a fairly common disorder that affects the nerves of the hand. Usually the symptoms are pain, tingling, numbness in the thumb, index, middle, and partial ring fingers. It can be accompanied with weakness of the thumb muscles which may make it difficult to grasp small objects or perform other manual tasks. In chronic or untreated cases, the muscles at the base of the thumb can waste away. Some people with very severe symptoms cannot determine between hot and cold by touch, and may burn their fingertips without knowing it.


What is the Carpal Tunnel?

The carpal tunnel is a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand which houses the median nerve and the tendons that bend the fingers.

The median nerve is a long nerve that extends all the way from the neck and travels down the arm into the hand. This nerve must travel through a tunnel of ligaments which backs up against the bones of the hand. Due to the nerve's close proximity to other structures, it can become entrapped within the tunnel and cause symptoms.


Causes

Usually there is a combination of factors that create the increased pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, some of the most common are:


  • Injury
  • Pregnancy (fluid retention)
  • Repetitive movement strain
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis


Chiropractic Adjustments

There are 27 bones in the hand. These small bones can compress the median nerve due to inappropriate positioning. This can happen due to repetitive strain put on the wrist and hand which is very common in people who type on computers or work in construction.


Gentle adjustments to these carpal bones can relieve the pressure felt by the nerve. Chiropractors can adjust those bones back into proper alignment and keep patients from needing surgery or drugs. Coupled with proper rehabilitation of the hand, carpal tunnel symptoms can be alleviated naturally!


Sometimes nerve compression in the neck can mimic carpal tunnel symptoms. The median nerve travels from the lower part of the neck and supplies the arm and hand. When people have radiating pain, numbness, or tingling in the hand, it is important to delineate between nerve compression is coming from the neck, or from the carpal tunnel.


Luckily this is something a thorough chiropractic exam can identify. If you are suffering some 'carpal tunnel' symptoms, come visit our office and get it assessed by our experienced chiropractors at Thrive Family Chiropractic.




Carpal Tunnel chiropractic, carpal tunnel syndrome



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