Wrist Pain & Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition where the median nerve that runs through the wrist get trapped in a tunnel bordered by your carpal bones and a ligament on the underside of your wrist.
Pain From CTS
can be in the hand and even radiate back up into the arm, but it often starts with numbness or tingling in the fingertips of the first three fingers.
Potential Causes
Simply typing at a desk repetitively, excessive wrist extension, or slips and falls on your hands and wrist can lead to wrist problems.
neuroanatomy
A thorough understanding of the neuroanatomy is critical in ruling CTS in or out. There are entrapments of nerves in the muscles of the forearm, elbow, and arm. Herniated discs and other cervical spine problems, as well as thoracic outlet syndrome, can cause issues that can look like they are wrist or CTS related, but not actually end up being caused by anything in the wrist.
Imagine being told you need surgery for your carpal tunnel syndrome and finding out that your problem was actually one that was above the wrist afterward.
In addition, thyroid problems and poor lymphatic and venous return and B6 deficiencies can cause swelling in the wrist leading to an entrapment syndrome,
Wrist pain itself can be caused by CTS or from the carpal bones being jammed up against the radius and ulna. Wrist pain can be from a strain in the muscle that holds the end of the radius and ulna together, or a fracture of one of the small bones can cause tremendous pain, as well.
There are many potentially non-invasive techniques that we provide to help you with your carpal tunnel syndrome or wrist pain depending on the source of the problem. They can range from joint manipulation to provide better mobility of the wrist joint and move the carpal bones away from the tunnel and radius and ulna, to Class IV Laser, to soft tissue mobilization, to non-surgical spinal decompression for your neck if the source happened to be coming from a disc herniation in your neck.
A thorough examination of all the nerves, muscles and joints involved will tell us what your next step will be. Call us to schedule your evaluation today.