How Does Chiropractic Help Carpal Tunnel?
Of all the compressive neurological conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common. It is particularly high in populations that do a lot of repetitive hand motions, such as computer work. A common outcome is surgery, however up to a third of patients have symptoms return within five years of their surgery. Why is that?
A quick look at the anatomy. Within your wrist is a band of connective tissue that holds your nerves and tendons. The median nerve is the most common nerve that gets compressed, causing numbness, tingling, and pain into the hand. Once your muscles and tendons get inflamed, it takes up space within your wrist and puts more pressure on the median nerve–eventually symptoms develop. This is where carpal tunnel surgery comes in: they trim that band of connective tissue to create more space.
The one problem is this doesn’t address a root issue. Why was there inflammation to begin with? Why were the tendons and muscles inflamed?
Chiropractors look at the whole kinetic chain. We start first examining the neck for compression on the nerve roots. With carpal tunnel syndrome, nerves can be irritated at the neck where the nerve roots exit the spinal cord, they can be irritated in the shoulder where the nerve roots form the brachial plexus, and they can be compressed at other areas as we head to the wrist. Having surgery on the wrist only addresses one potential compression point.
Particularly, if you deal with your hands falling asleep and you also have neck pain or discomfort, chances are the problem is further up the chain. Chiropractors are experts at dealing with these compression and joint problems. A chiropractor can find where the nerve is being irritated and use a variety of non-surgical approaches to relieve the pressure from the nerve, allowing it to heal.
At our Overland Park chiropractic office, we also utilize X-ray analysis to properly see what is going on in the neck. For carpal tunnel cases, there is often an obvious indicator that the hand symptoms are stemming from higher up. We can see, and show the patient, where the problem is occurring and what to do about it.
Over the years practicing chiropractic, we’ve helped numerous patients avoid the need for surgery. If you are getting a consultation for surgery, it’s worth talking with a local chiropractor. Trying a non-surgical, safe, and conservative approach first is better than immediately going under the knife.
