Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Maybe...Maybe Not

San Francisco Chiropractor and Carpal Tunnel Doctor Comments:

It's very common for patients with arm or hand pain to be told they have carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). CTS has pretty much become a "catch all phrase" for doctors and therapists to use for non-specific hand/wrist pain. 

And the treatment has been the same for years...wrist splints and Motrin. If that doesn't work, maybe cortisone injections. Then...as a last resort, carpal tunnel release surgery.

Well...that's all well and good if the problem is in fact carpal tunnel syndrome. Actually, it's not well and good. There are nonsurgical, drugless treatment methods that have great success with textbook CTS...such as chiropractic, acupuncture, and physical therapy...that should be considered first...in my biased opinion.

But, there are also other conditions that cause the same symptoms you get when you have CTS. The nerve that is compressed in the wrist when someone has true carpal tunnel is called the median nerve. 

 

The median nerve originates in the neck, travels down the middle of the arm, then passes through the carpal tunnel to control or innervate part of the hand. The median nerve is created by nerve roots which are branches off of the spinal cord. These nerve roots exit from in between cervical vertebrae which are movable.

When the cervical vertebrae lose their normal alignment...what we call a vertebral subluxation...they can offend and irritate the nerve roots they were designed to protect.

Spinal subluxations that involve the median nerve can cause the same symptoms you feel when you have CTS in the wrist. In fact, it's impossible to tell the difference  most of the time just from the symptoms the patient describes.

The only way to really know if the problem is CTS or nerve pressure in the neck...is to check. This can be done by a chiropractor, medical doctor, or therapist that knows what to check for CTS, subluxations, or...things like herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, thoracic outlet syndrome, cervical rib, and other potential causes.

Often times x-rays, nerve conduction tests, or cervical MRI are necessary to confirm nerve compromise.

Then...the doctor needs to know what to do about it. These problems are not easy to treat.

We have been treating CTS, and other related disorders for over 15 years at our San Francisco Back & Wrist Pain Center. We have done so with great success...often times when nothing else would help.

The best thing to do if you have CTS related symptoms is to try the drugless approach first. Find yourself a doctor that treats these problems on a regular basis.

If you live in the SF Bay Area...we can see you at our Financial District Carpal Tunnel Center. Simply call 415-392-2225 and ask for a complimentary CTS Evaluation.

If you live out of the area...send me an email at ebendavis@yahoo.com and I will try to find someone for you close to where you live.