Can a Chiropractor Help Carpal Tunnel?

carpal tunnel treatment

If you have numbness, pain, or other issues in your hand or arm, you could have carpal tunnel syndrome. It is a typical kind of entrapment neuropathy, affecting around 3 to 6 percent of adults. Doctors might suggest more aggressive treatment, but surgery is not the only option for your pain. You can try a more conservative approach of getting chiropractic treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

The condition might develop if you have wrist tissues that compress your nerves in your hand. The median nerve begins in your spine in your neck. That nerve goes down the arm and into a passageway in the wrist or the carpal tunnel. If the nerve is experiencing pressure, it might develop at several points. That could include the carpal tunnel or spine.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Causes

It is unknown precisely what causes this issue, but it can cause numbness or tingling in your hand. You might notice that the symptoms are worse on the thumb side of the hand. You could have tingling or pain that goes up the forearm and into the shoulder. Sometimes, you might notice shocks to the fingers or thumb. You can have weakness in your hand as a result, making it harder to do more refined movements, such as buttoning your clothes.

Over time, the symptoms of the condition can worsen. If you bend your wrists while sleeping, you might have more pain at night. And you may find that if you hold something for a while or bend your wrist when writing, you might have more pain.

Without carpal tunnel syndrome treatment, you might have permanent damage to your nerve. That can result in chronic symptoms, which are often debilitating. By getting early treatment, you can prevent the condition’s progression.

How Can a Chiropractor Help with Carpal Tunnel?

The good news is that your chiropractor can quickly diagnose the issue, helping you get the needed treatment. It is usually hard to find the cause of the problem, but a chiropractor has experience in the field. They will see if you have an upper spine issue since that can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. If you do, you might get chiropractic care to relieve nerve pressure. If you have pressure or tension in your arm, you might have the elbow or wrist manipulated.

A chiropractor for a carpal tunnel might try massage therapy, which is non-invasive and cost-effective. It helps reduce inflammation and numbness in the area. It can help you lengthen and relax your muscles. You might choose to use ice to relieve your symptoms since it can numb the pain. It also lowers inflammation in the wrist, which might come with the condition. If you use heat on your arm, you might see more inflammation, causing more pressure on the nerve.

Closing Thoughts

Some research has suggested that around one in five people can expect to have carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Luckily, getting chiropractic care for carpal tunnel pain relief can help.

By: Dr. Terry McSweeney

Dr. McSweeney is certified in Manipulation Under Anesthesia and is a member of both the New Jersey Chiropractic Society and American Chiropractic Society; he is also a board member of the Mount Prospect Partnership and director of Mayor Quintana’s Health Program. Click here to learn more.