carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a surprisingly common condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and arm.  At Advanced Wellness Solutions, we use gentle chiropractic care to eliminate the pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.

What is Carpal Tunnel

The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in your wrist.  This passageway comes up through the bones (carpals) and ligaments on the palm side of your hand.  The median nerve passes through this narrow passageway to control the muscles in your hand, thumb and 3 of your 4 fingers. (The median nerve doesn’t control your pinky finger.)

When the median nerve is compressed, the symptoms can include numbness, tingling and weakness in the hand and arm.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the tunnel becomes narrowed or when tissues surrounding the flexor tendons swell, putting pressure on the median nerve. ¹ This swelling causes pressure on the median nerve causing pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and arm.²  Left untreated, this pressure on the nerve can eventually cause permanent nerve and muscle damage.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms

One of the most common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome is pain, numbness or tingling in the hand and arm.  These symptoms are usually mild at first but it increase in severity as the condition progresses.

Carpal tunnel syndrome stiffness and immobility is often most severe in the morning.  However, the pain from carpal tunnel syndrome is often most severe at night, preventing healthy, restful sleep.

Since carpal tunnel syndrome affects the nerves and muscles that control the hand, performing common everyday tasks like picking up a glass can become difficult.  Weakness is often mild at first, increasing as the conditions progresses.

Because carpal tunnel syndrome involves the nerves, other symptoms include other symptoms such as:

• a burning sensation in the hands/fingers
• itching in the hands/fingers
• feeling as if the hands/fingers are swollen, even if they’re not.
• reduced sensitivity to hot and cold in the hand/ fingers.

In its early stages, carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms may include your hand tingles and feels weak, or the fingers numb, or both.

Diagnosing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome involves nerve pain due to compression in the wrist.  Unfortunately, pressure on nerves in the neck due to disc problems or arthritis can cause similar symptoms. To confirm the diagnosis, diagnostic imaging may be required.  A nerve conduction study can measure the severity of the compression on the nerve if surgery is needed.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment

Numbness, tingling and pain in your hands, fingers and wrists are examples of an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure.  Early, correct diagnosis and treatment can dramatically improve your outcome. Treatment modalities depend upon the cause and severity of your symptoms.

Advanced Wellness Solutions offers natural, drug-free carpal tunnel syndrome treatment. Early intervention is important to avoid surgery.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Left Untreated

It’s important to seek treatment if you have signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome that interfere with your normal activities and sleep patterns. Permanent nerve and muscle damage can occur without treatment.

You should always seek treatment for symptoms of tingling, numbness and radiating pain.  These are possible symptoms of nerve impingement.  Symptoms will progress if carpal tunnel syndrome is left untreated.  You’ll begin dropping things.  Activities that require fine finger movements, such as writing or fastening buttons, will become more difficult. You may begin to feel you are losing coordinated movement of your fingers. Moving your thumb may also become difficult.  Again, these could also be symptoms of pressure on nerves in the neck due to disc problems or arthritis, so if you don’t schedule treatment with Advanced Wellness Solutions, be sure to discuss your symptoms with your health care professional.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the compression of the median nerve which can lead to permanent nerve and muscle damage without treatment.

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