What is the Carpal Tunnel?

Carpus is the medical term referring to the wrist.  The carpal tunnel is the passage for the major nerve in the wrist (the median nerve) and the tendons in the wrist formed by the ligaments of the wrist and the carpal bones.  The median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel to innervate the hand and fingers.

What Can Cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

In carpal tunnel syndrome, the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the canal made by the wrist bones and the ligament of the wrist.  The nerve may be compressed or trapped in its path due to joint changes in inflammatory conditions.  The most common is overuse of the wrist.

How Can I Tell If I Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

The majority of patients affected by this syndrome are middle-aged women.  The usual symptoms are pricking numbness and pain which is most prominent in the first three fingers, the thumb, and the palm.  This pain comes on especially during the night and is relieved by shaking the hand.  Aching may accompany the numbness and extend up the arm.  In late cased, there may be wasting of the hand and finger muscles innervated by the median nerve.

What Can I Do To Ease the Pain Temporarily?

Place the hand in the neutral non-flexed position and avoid bending the wrist.  If you have pain that may be associated with this syndrome, apply an ice pack or cold compress to the wrist to help reduce any inflammation and thereby decrease the pain.  Use the compress for 20 to 30 minute periods with at least a 30 minute interval between each application.

If you have chronic pain, apply moist heat to the wrist.  Use the heat for 20 minute periods with at least 30 minute intervals between each application,

What Can the Doctor of Chiropractic Do to Help?

Doctors of chiropractic are educated and trained in the detection and care of musculoskeletal problems, particularly the joints of the spinal column and extremities (shoulder, arm, wrist etc.).  Your chiropractor can provide you with a complete examination and recommendations for care appropriate to your case.

She will seek to differentiate local problems from spinal referred pain.  Since the median nerve originates in the neck, the doctor of chiropractic will examine the neck area.

In addition, some musculoskeletal problems affect the nerves and blood vessels in the arm and may mimic carpal tunnel.  The doctor of chiropractic may perform some orthopedic tests in an effort to detect interference with blood flow through the arm or changes in sensation if distant problems cannot be found.  He or she will examine the local wrist area for deformities, swelling, fixation or movement dysfunction of the carpal bones in the wrist.

X-ray images of the wrist and possibly some laboratory tests may be ordered to examine for one of several different varieties of arthritis.  You will be asked to flex and extend the fingers.  If you have carpal tunnel syndrome wrist flexing will cause numbness, tingling, and pain in the fingers.

If a movement dysfunction is detected in the wrist, your chiropractor may adjust the carpal bones to relieve pressure on the median nerve.  If the problem is found to originate in the neck the doctor will adjust that area as well.

If you condition should require examination by another health care specialist however, your chiropractor will refer you.

Your chiropractor can help educate your employer to minimize workplace injuries as well as give you suggestions on how to prevent the condition.