Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Responds to Chiropractic Care

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can be helped with chiropractic care. In my three decades of chiropractic practice I have seen many patients respond well to chiropractic therapy.

The carpal tunnel is a neighborhood of the wrist. It is where the long bones of the forearm and the long bones of the palm of the hand meet. At this location there are eight small bones the size of pebbles which are called the carpal bones. These bones form an arch. The underside of the arch is considered to be a tunnel. One of the nerves which goes into the hand, called the median nerve, passes through the tunnel.

When the small carpal bones get misaligned and impinge on the median nerve causing symptoms it is called carpal tunnel syndrome.

Various symptoms can occur with carpal tunnel syndrome. One might feel discomfort at the wrist. Tingling or numbness into the thumb, forefinger and middle finger may also be felt. Some people experience weakness of grip while holding things with the hand.

Often there is an association between this condition and the neck. Nerves travel through the neck area to exit the spine and then travel into the wrist and hand. A pinched nerve in the neck can have symptoms that mimic those of carpal tunnel syndrome. When patients complaining of this condition visit a chiropractor, an examination of both the neck and wrist is performed. If the doctor of chiropractic finds abnormalities he can administer safe, drug-free, and nonsurgical treatments to the appropriate areas.

A recent research study in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, November 2018 revealed that patients who underwent conservative care, such as chiropractic care, or had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome had similar outcomes after one year. However, the group receiving conservative care required less time off from work and the treatment costs were about $3000 lower than those who underwent a surgical procedure. This suggests that a person suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome exhausts conservative treatments before electing for surgery.

Recently I finished working with the patient to help with her carpal tunnel syndrome condition. She was having significant numbness and tingling in her thumb, forefinger and middle finger which kept her awake at night. She worked long hours during the day at her factory job. Between long job hours and getting very little sleep she was exhausted. At her initial examination we found pinched nerves in her neck causing the discomfort in her hand. Once chiropractic care corrected a pinched nerve she was pain free and able to sleep well. After a few good night's sleep she was back to her normal, energetic self.

For over hundred 25 years chiropractors have been helping patients with carpal tunnel syndrome in many other musculoskeletal problems.