Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Challenging Your Life?
I have known several co-workers and other people in my neighborhood, that have run into burning, tingling and numb fingers.
CTS, carpal tunnel syndrome, begins with wrist trauma that pinches a nerve. Then pain and numbness affect the index and middle fingers and weaken the thumb. Holding onto small objects and accomplishing day to day tasks suddenly becomes a challenge.
Many people who do repetitive tasks, typing, sewing, or shop work with small tools, can run into CTS.
For my retired neighbor, this became a serious loss of function as she tried to do things around the house and wanted to do more in her garden. It also raised the question of independence for her, if she would be able to continue living on her own in her home.
For another co-worker, the problem and the pain was equally challenging, and the questions also began to come up as she wondered how much time she would be off work, or if she would have to retire early. In both cases, ongoing treatment and a series of day to day adjustments helped them regain their lives.
See your chiropractor if CTS is challenging you
The initial examination will cover your medical history, explore your daily home and work routines, and include discussions about anything else that could have hurt your hands or wrist. The chiropractor will examine your hands, arms, shoulders, neck and spine to trace the problem. Then the two of you can deal with your immediate symptoms and decide how to help resolve the problem.
Relief may start with rest, keeping the wrist temporarily immobile, and cold packs to help reduce inflammatory swelling. Throughout the process your chiropractor will be there to help you work through it.
Ways to avoid CTS.
If you have seen CTS close up in friends and family and do not want to go down the same path, a visit to the chiropractor can help you learn where you stand and provide suggestions to help you stay healthy and pain free. In the initial visit, your chiropractor will do a spinal adjustment to evaluate the health of your spine. A medical history will be covered along with a review of daily tasks that could put you at risk.
A look at your workplace, along with exercises for stretching and moving during the work day may come up. Simple restructuring of your schedule, putting meetings and discussions in between repetitive tasks, may be tried. An ongoing series of visits with the chiropractor might help treat other areas of pain in knees, hips or back too. Relaxation exercises, a better diet, weight loss, and adjusting the number of hours worked might all help too.
The idea is to keep you active and injury free on the job and at home.
The people that I know that do this best, seek help, such as chiropractor sessions, and they cover all of the bases in diet and exercise to not give stiffness and soreness a chance to take over. Sudden increases in pain or numbness should always be checked out immediately with a call to your doctor or ER and your chiropractor.