Etherton Chiropractic

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the occupational disease of the 21st century. Do you have it? You may if you have one of more of the following: tingling and numbness in the hands, fingers and wrist; swelling of the fingers; dry palms; blanching (whitening upon pressure) of the hand; and pain so intense that it awakens you at night with the possibility of similar symptoms in the upper arm, elbowm shoulder of neck.

Millions of people now suffer from CTS and increasing numbers of them are seeking chiropractic care. The drug-free chiropractic approach of releasing nerve and spine stress by freeing your body of vertebral subluxations has been a blessing to milions afflicted with this condition.

Where is the Carpal Tunnel?

You won't find the carpal tunnel on any map--it's in your wrist. your carpal (wrist) bones form a tunnel-like structure--the carpal tunnel--through which pass nine tendons and one nerve--the median nerve. CTS (also called occupational neuritis, partial thenar atrophy and median neuritis) occurs when the median nerve is irritated.

Who gets CTS?

Just about anyone can get CTS. Years ago telegraph operators, seamstresses, carpenters and meat cutters were the cheif sufferers from this codition. Today it's office workers, computer operators, musicians and assembly line workers (among others) who are more prone to it. Fractures, a fall on the hand or poorly designed and/or vibrating hand tools may damage the palm of the hand and also cause CTS. Other causes are rheumatoid or osteo-arthritis, Paget's disease, multiple myeloma, acromegaly and gout. It is often found in pregnant women, women who use birth control pills or individuals with an underactive thyroid.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a similar condition caused by compression or irritation of the nerves that form the brachial plexus (in the upper back) as they exit the neck. The symptoms unclude pain, weakness and numbness or tingling in the arm. Interestingly, some researchers believe that the hips and lower spine (sacroiliac) play a role in the cause while others feel an abnormal thoracic (mid-back) curve is the cause.

The Medical Approach

The medical approach to CTS is to stop using the wrist in the same way by wearing a splint (wrist immobilization). Resting the wrist has worked for many people. In others ice or drugs such as diuretics or anti-inflammatories were also used.

In those with persistent symptoms, corticosteroids may be injected into the crease in the hand near the wrist which may provide relief. This approach however has a high relapse rate (and many side effects). As many as 100,000 operations a year are performed for CTS and recovery from such surgery may take from 6 months to 10 years.

The Chiropractic Approach

Since most people who do repetitive tasks do not get CTS there appears to be a contributing factor to this condition. In many people it may be the health of the spine and that is why anyone suffering from CTS should see a chiropractor to ensure that his/her spinal column is properly aligned and free from nerve pressure.

Look closely at a muscician, office worker, computer operator or anyone suffering from CTS. You'll see that not only are the wrists being used to perform the tasks, the neck and entire spinal column are also involved in the activities.

For over a hundred years clinicians, researchers and patients have reported relief of classic carpal tunel symptoms and imrpovements in overal body function after chirorpactic spinal adjustments.

How Does Your Spine Affect Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Vertebral subluxations (spinal nerve root irritation caused by spinal misalignment) have been observed in many patients who have carpel tunnel or related hand and wrist problems. In fact, nerve compression in the neck can block the flow of nutrients to the nerves in the arm, shoulder, wrist and related areas, and make them more susceptible to injury (this is called the double crush syndrome).

Not surprisingly, when 1,000 cases of carpal tunnel syndrome were investigated it was found that a large number of those suffering from CTS also had neck arthritis.

Conclusion

Anyone suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome should see a chiropractor to ensure that their spine is free of spinal nerve stress. Not as a treatment per se for carpal tunnel syndrome but as a way of rebalancing the spine and removing structural stress from the nervous system.