If you suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, you may feel as if you're trying to make your way through life with one (or even both hands) tied behind your back. This painful, often debilitating inflammation of the canal inside the wrist can cause both agonizing discomfort and serious loss of function in the affected hand. The good news is that you don't necessarily need surgery to correct your carpal tunnel syndrome. Here at Lifetime Health and Wellness, any chiropractor on our skilled team can provide natural treatments for your condition.
What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Many people who suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome don't understand how or why this part of their anatomy is causing so much trouble. The carpal tunnel is a small passageway in the wrist defined by the wrist bones and the transverse carpal ligament. It houses flexor tendons as well as the median nerve, a major nerve that supplies sensation and motor control to the thumb and first three fingers of the hand. When the tissues surrounding the median nerve swell up and put pressure on it, the resulting impingement may cause:
- Tingling, numbness, and pain in the digits controlled by the median nerve, especially when the hands try to perform certain motions
- Pain that runs through the forearm up toward the elbow
- Weakness in the hand that may cause problems with manual dexterity
Some people have an unusually narrow carpal tunnel that makes them prone to this syndrome; diabetes, thyroid issues, and pregnancy are also risk factors. But anyone who performs repetitive manual tasks on a constant basis, such as musicians, artists, athletes, and factory workers, may be vulnerable to overuse injuries that inflame the carpal tunnel tissues.
How Our Chiropractors Can Help
If you're hesitant to submit to major surgery that permanently alters your wrist anatomy, you'll be happy to know that conservative care may resolve your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The chiropractors at our clinic will first perform an evaluation to see whether you're actually suffering from a "lookalike" condition such as cervical radiculopathy or thoracic outlet syndrome. These issues may be related to to a spinal misalignment that requires chiropractic correction.
If a narrow carpal tunnel is part of your problem, adjustments to the wrist bones can help give your median nerve more room, relieving nerve impingement and relieving neurological symptoms. We may also prescribe soft tissue treatments such as massage to reduce swelling, inflammation and pain, while also making ergonomic and lifestyle recommendations to help prevent future overuse related strain.
Troubled by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Contact Our Chiropractic Clinic
Before you go scheduling invasive surgery for that nagging case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, call Lifetime Health and Wellness at (303) 423-4610 for a consultation and evaluation. We can help you feel better the natural, non-surgical way!