Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment

It is estimated that two percent of the adult population suffers from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in this country. If you have been diagnosed with this common nerve condition, you know how painful and limiting it can be. Are you aware that soft tissue treatment such as Active Release Technique® (ART®), can help most people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome find relief? Individuals can regain normal use of their forearms, wrists, hands, and fingers without enduring surgery.

If you have noticed limited use of your hands and wrists, you may not need surgery to restore normal function, work effectively, and sleep comfortably. Dr. Rich has been helping people with carpal tunnel for more than 11 years by utilizing a mix of ART® and chiropractic adjustments. Adjustments are used to treat the neck, alleviating stress on the nerves as they exit the spine, while ART® is employed to reduce pressure caused by the muscles on the nerves in the forearm.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an entrapment neuropathy, which simply means a pinched nerve. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed. The compressed nerve may produce pain, numbness, and if ignored, weakened hands.

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

• Numbness or tingling sensation in the hands or fingers.
• Pain that spreads from the wrist, up the arm, to the shoulder.
• Weak hands, often displayed by a tendency to drop things.

One of the problems with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) treatment is that a number of issues could be causing the pain. A broken wrist, a repetitive stress injury, arthritis, or any injury that irritates or compresses the nerve running through the carpal tunnel can lead to CTS. However, it is rare that a single cause is identified as the culprit.

CTS symptoms can be caused by peripheral nerve entrapments at multiple sites, not just at the carpal tunnel. The most common sites of median nerve entrapment that cause CTS type symptoms are:

• Median nerve at the Thenar Muscles
• Median nerve at the Carpal Tunnel
• Median nerve at the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
• Median nerve at the Pronator Teres
• Median nerve at the Ligament of Struthers
• Median nerve at the Coracopectoral Tunnel
• Median nerve at the Scalenes

Luckily you do not have to pass an anatomy test to be treated for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. You simply need to know that chiropractic and Active Release Technique® can help. This researched combination of conservative care has proven itself to be an effective treatment set to fix CTS and prevent surgery.

Who is at Risk?

No one is immune to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but there are a number of identified risk factors. Factors that put you at a higher risk of developing the condition include:

• Anatomy – Women are diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome more often than men. Things such as a broken or dislocated wrist also put you at an increased risk.
• Illness – Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, or anything that causes chronic inflammation in the wrists or hands can affect the soft-tissue in your wrist and compress the carpal tunnel nerve.
• Body Fluids – When your body retains more fluid than it should, it can cause added pressure that compresses the median nerve. Conditions that increase the risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include pregnancy, kidney failure, obesity, menopause, and many others.
• Workplace – Workplace factors may increase your risk of developing carpal tunnel. Jobs that require extensive and repetitive use of the hands and wrists can lead to repetitive stress injuries (RSI). Most RSIs are caused by the slow accumulation of scar tissue of fascia on the muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments of the body. Excess scar tissue or muscle adhesions can limit range of motion, cause pain, and increase pressure on nerves.