Chiropractic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that involves compression of the median nerve as it travels through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. This nerve compression is usually caused by swelling and can be one of the most common causes of wrist pain.

Since the median nerve sends sensory and movement messages between the brain and the thumb and middle three fingers, this condition causes a lot of pain and dysfunction for our patients. If you think you might be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, it's important to have it evaluated so that you can receive treatment. With proper chiropractic treatment, you can relieve your symptoms and regain full function of your hand and wrist.

Common Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that affects the hand and wrist. It is caused by increased pressure on the median nerve, which runs through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. This pressure can be caused by an injury, infection, or other underlying health condition that causes increased swelling. 

Some of the most common injuries are related to long-term physical stress. This type of stress can come from activities like typing on a keyboard or using a mouse for extended periods of time. Other activities that might contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome include knitting, playing the piano, and others that involve repetitive hand motions.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can also be caused by an underlying health condition that leads to increased swelling in the area. Some of the most common conditions that can cause carpal tunnel syndrome include diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid problems. If you have any of these conditions, it’s important to talk to your doctor about ways to manage your symptoms

Diabetes

Those with diabetes are more prone to carpal tunnel. The increased fluid retention and inflammation that are common in diabetes can worsen or even cause carpal tunnel problems. When the delicate wrist area is swollen, the nerves are easily compressed, resulting in carpal tunnel symptoms. Since diabetes also causes nerve damage, the nerve pain caused by neuropathy can intensify the pain. If you're dealing with carpal tunnel issues, be sure to contact our office to set up an appointment. There are chiropractic treatments available that can help ease your pain and keep your condition from worsening.

Industrial Plant Work

Processing plant workers are at high risk for carpal tunnel syndrome due to the repetitive nature of their work. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that results from the compression of the median nerve as it passes through the wrist. Symptoms include tingling, numbness, and pain in the hand and fingers. If left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to permanent nerve damage.

Industrial plan workers, such as meat and fish processing workers, are required to grip equipment for hours at a time, which can cause tremendous stress on wrist tendons, further compounding any carpal tunnel problems. Motorcyclists often experience similar pain, increasing their risk of median nerve and tendon issues in and around the carpal tunnel.

Office Work

If you work at a desk all day, you're probably familiar with the aches and pains that can come from sitting in one position for too long. But did you know that your typing habits could also be contributing to your discomfort?

Repetitive motions like typing can put strain on your muscles and tendons, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome. And since office work often involves sitting for hours at a time, there is additional fluid retention and swelling that can exacerbate the pain.

To help prevent or relieve these problems, it's important to take breaks often, stretch your fingers and wrists, and use proper ergonomic techniques when typing. If you already have carpal tunnel syndrome, our chiropractors provide carpal tunnel syndrome treatments that can help. 

Other Conditions Linked With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel can be caused by a number of different medical conditions. One common cause is high blood pressure. This condition can cause fluid retention, which in turn increases swelling and worsens carpal tunnel pain.

Pregnancy is another common cause of carpal tunnel. This is due to the increased levels of hormones in the body, which can lead to fluid retention. Additionally, the growing uterus can put pressure on the median nerve, causing symptoms of carpal tunnel.

Wrist fractures can also cause carpal tunnel. This is because the broken bone may irritate or compress the median nerve. Additionally, swelling and inflammation from the injury can contribute to carpal tunnel pain.

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome can begin with mild symptoms that gradually worsen over time. Early diagnosis and treatment is important to prevent permanent damage to the nerves in your hand and wrist. If you experience any of the following symptoms, it is important to set up an appointment with our chiropractors.

Numbness

The most common symptoms include numbness, and tingling in the wrist and hand, which can be very mild symptoms. Since “pins and needles” can be mild, they can be easy to ignore.

The condition is often worse at night, when people are more likely to sleep with their wrists bent. You may also notice numbness during the day if you’ve had your wrist bent holding a smartphone, driving, or doing other activities which require the wrist to be bent for an extended period of time. 

Weakness

If you are experiencing wrist weakness, it may be due to damage to the median nerve. This nerve is responsible for carrying movement signals from the brain to the muscles in the hand. When it becomes damaged, these signals can become scrambled or completely lost, resulting in weakness in the hand and fingers.

In many cases, this damage occurs gradually over time, so it is important to pay attention to any changes in your ability to grip or hold objects. If you find yourself dropping things more often than usual, or having difficulty with tasks like buttoning a shirt, it may be time to see a doctor.

Pain

Median nerve compression causes pain in the hand, wrist, and forearm. We’ve had patients who have had pain all the way up to their shoulders. Pain, like the rest of the carpal tunnel symptoms, occurs gradually over time. Pain is often a later symptom, developing after numbness and sometimes after weakness.

How Chiropractic Works to Eliminate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Chiropractic minimizes nerve interference and encourages proper blood flow. Chiropractors decrease interference in your spine, hand, and arm allowing your body to function more effectively. This leads to fewer issues with carpal tunnel syndrome as well as less pain and discomfort.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Chiropractic Treatment Methods

When patients come to our office, we listen to them. Then we see what their body can tell us through detailed assessment and testing. Once we have a better picture of a patient’s pain, we can begin recreating a future with less pain using several chiropractic treatment methods.

Chiropractic Adjustment

At Health From Within, our chiropractors provide gentle manipulation around the bones of the wrist. This releases any bones that could potentially cause painful median nerve compression. When the carpal tunnel bones are properly realigned, it increases the range of motion.

Soft Tissue Work

Soft tissue work provides pain relief by working away any muscle tension that interferes with proper carpal tunnel functioning. The soft tissue techniques we use most frequently focus on freeing the muscles of adhesions that limit their movement. As function improves, pain often decreases.

Rehabilitative Exercise

Exercise is another method that reduces pain as it boosts circulation, bringing oxygen and other vital nutrients to the tissues. Our custom targeted exercises focus on strengthening the entire body, so overall function improves.

Carpal Tunnel Relief for You

If you found us by searching for a carpal tunnel treatment near me, we’re happy you found us. We’re confident in our approach and have multiple patient testimonials available so that you can see some of our results. The only results that matter at this moment, however, are yours. Call us today and let us help you gain relief from carpal tunnel pain and dysfunction.

Health From Within is proud to serve Mokena and its surrounding areas,  offering wellness and lifestyle care. We achieve this through chiropractic care, nutritional counseling, and lifestyle modification, empowering families to thrive at their optimal potential.