Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Chiropractic Care
One of the most unfortunate musculoskeletal conditions that anyone can develop is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This condition involves the repetition of the same movements over and over again until tissue damage, stiffness, and bone deterioration occurs.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome falls into the overall category of Cumulative Trauma Disorders, in which the “cumulative” element refers to the repetition of the certain movements, and the “trauma” element referring to the damage to the bones and tissues in the afflicted joint.
The carpals are the main bones in the fingers, with the metacarpals consisting of the bones in our finger tips. In individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome, the thumb, the index finger, and the ring finger are the most commonly affected fingers with chronic pain and a lack of range of motion. In many cases, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can detract from overall performance of the hands, in some cases contributing to a 90% reduction in the overall functioning in the hand. Needless to say, this can be quite debilitating.
This is where chiropractic care comes in. In pursuing chiropractic care, patients are able to receive a treatment method that can target all of the encompassing symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from a global perspective. Specifically, the chiropractor can assess the status of a patient’s Carpal Tunnel Syndrome condition, determine what throughout the body is causing the symptoms, and offer interventions that the patient can use to mitigate these symptoms.
Namely, chiropractic adjustments can improve the alignment of the skeletal components in the body, which can put the bones in the hand in the best possible position. If the spine is misaligned, then this can lead to misalignment in the shoulders, which in turn runs down the arm and alters the layout of the hands. These misalignments can be quite dangerous for patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
In addition to chiropractic adjustments, chiropractors can offer patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome behavioral modifications that can help improve their condition. For example, the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome usually flare up at night due to the amount of pressure placed on the hands during sleep. Chiropractors can interact with the patient, understand how they are sleeping, and offer solutions for how a patient can sleep to promote musculoskeletal health in the hands.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome patients may feel that they have nowhere to turn, but a potential solution to their problems lies in chiropractic care.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of torbakhopper