Top 4 Ways Chiropractic Can Help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

When many people think of chiropractic, they think of treatment for back or neck pain but in reality, a chiropractor treats the whole body and spine related problems are just a one aspect (though admittedly a large aspect) of the people we see in practice. One of the conditions that is helped by chiropractic that is gaining more attention is the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Chiropractic is an effective, non-invasive treatment for CTS and helps relieve the pain and promote healing without the use of medications.

So how can chiropractic help CTS? Below are four ways but first let us take a little deeper look at what carpal tunnel syndrome is.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a repetitive stress injury that affects the hands and wrists. Some of the more common symptoms include tingling, numbness, and weakness in the fingers as well as pain in the wrist or hand that is worse at night.

The most common populations that experience carpal tunnel are those that use their hands constantly. These include hairdressers, typists, mechanics, cashiers, and other people who perform repetitive hand motions for long periods of time. There is an estimated 3 percent of adults in the United States that deal with carpal tunnel syndrome at some time in their lives.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is most common in the workplace. In fact, about 50 percent of workplace injuries are contributed to carpal tunnel syndrome. Research has shown that a person’s occupation plays a large part in how frequently and how severe individuals get it.

The carpal tunnel is a band of fibrous tissue that is on the palm side of the wrist. The fibrous tissue connects two bones, forming a tunnel what allows blood vessels, nerves, and tendons that are necessary for the hand to move to pass through. With repetitive stress injuries such as typing, the carpal tunnel can become inflamed or damaged, causing pressure that compresses the arteries and nerves. This usually starts slowly and gradually worsens as the condition progresses.

How Chiropractic helps Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

When treating carpal tunnel syndrome, chiropractic can be very beneficial. These are four common ways that chiropractic has been shown to be very effective in treating not only the pain but the condition as a whole.

Adjustment of the wrist, hand, and cervical spine – When the spine is not functioning properly, it can exacerbate carpal tunnel syndrome. A chiropractor uses spinal manipulation to restore movement and function to the spine. The manipulations, or adjustments, are frequently performed by hand but, at times, they may use of a special device or table made specifically for chiropractic treatments. To better help the condition, the chiropractor may adjust other areas such as the arms or wrist.

Stretches and exercises – There are a variety of muscles, ligaments, and tendons that are involved in carpal tunnel syndrome. Knowing that the body works together, the chiropractor will give you stretches and exercises to decrease the tension in the various muscles of the wrist, arm, and neck as well as exercises to help reduce the occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome in the future.

Dry needling– Dry needling, the practice of decreasing inflammation and tension in a particular muscles using small acupuncture needles, has been around for year and recent research has shown the benefits it can have. In carpal tunnel syndrome, dry needling is performed on the muscles of the forearm and neck to decrease the tension as well as inflammation, allowing greater movement of the wrist and decreased symptoms. It may be used as a stand-alone treatment or with chiropractic treatments.

Wrist Supports – The purpose of a wrist support is to minimize the stress on the carpal tunnel area and allow for a decrease in inflammation. pressure and compression. The use of wrist supports, along with at home exercises, is often used as a preventative measure against carpal tunnel syndrome. This can be a good treatment if the patient does repetitive work that may cause the condition. This is often combined with regular chiropractic treatments such as an adjustment and exercises and is used to prevent conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, from developing.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can affect us at work, home, and in our day to day activities. Chiropractic care has been shown to be a very safe and effective treatment option to not only help those experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome, but to also aid in preventing it.

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