Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), named from the carpal bones in the wrist that form a tunnel around the nerve leading to the hand, is an injury usually caused by repetitive and forceful movements that result in swelling around the tendons and pinching of the median nerve, causing painful tingling in the thumb and first two fingers, lack of muscle strength and control in the hand, and pain shooting from the hand up to the shoulder. This is often accompanied by neck pain.
People are generally at risk for CTS if they do a lot of computer work, work on an assembly line or who have any job that causes micro-traumas to the hands and wrists on a daily basis due to awkward positioning, forceful and repetitive movements, and stressful activity.
Common treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome involve rest, wearing wrist guards, taking pain killers and, if that is unsuccessful, surgery to relieve some of the pressure on the median nerve. There has to be a better solution- a noninvasive approach that will get to the underlying cause of your wrist problem.
Chiropractic adjustments are an effective, drug-free alternativeto ease the symptoms and pains caused by CTS, and provide long-term relief by addressing the underlying causes of CTS.
So What Are The Underlying Causes Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
The median nerve in the wrist, which when trapped causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, connects to the spinal cord through the openings in the bones in the areas around the lower neck (C5-T1). If these bones in the spinal cord lose their ordinary position or motion, this can cause problems in the wrists or fingers. This is why patients with wrist pain can also experience neck pain at the same time, not even realizing that the two are connected to the same underlying cause- a shift in the structure of the bones of your neck.
The specific type of chiropractic care offered at Foundation Chiropractic Co. called NeuroStructural Correction addresses this exact issue. Our goal is to return the bones of your lower neck back to their correct position, alleviating the stress on the median nerve, providing a more permanent solution to your wrist pain.
Aside from visiting your local NeuroStructural Chiropractor and finding out exactly where your wrist pain is originating from perform these simple exercises to help stretch your wrist and strengthen the muscles around it.
1. Opposition Stretch -Rest your hand on a table, palm open and facing up. Touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your pinky finger. Hold for 6 seconds and release. Repeat 10 times.
2. Wrist Stretch- Extend your arm in front of you with your palm down. Bend your wrist, pointing your hand toward the floor. With your other hand, gently bend your wrist farther until you feel a moderate stretch in your forearm. Repeat with your hand pointing towards the ceiling. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times
3. Grip Strengthening- Hold a soft rubber ball or tennis ball with your thumb on top. Gently squeeze the ball. Hold for 5 seconds and relax. Repeat 15 times on each side.