Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is reportedly becoming more common, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any less painful. Carpal Tunnel is a condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling from the arm down through the hand. It happens when the median nerve, which is one of the main nerves that travels through the center of the wrist to the hand, is compressed or pinched at the wrist joint. It gets worse over time if it is left untreated, so early diagnosis is key. If caught early enough, carpal tunnel can be treated with a simple wrist brace and a lack of certain movements and careful hand positions. However, if it is not addressed and the activity causing the tension on the nerve to occur is continued, the damage will only continue to get worse. It often reaches a point where surgery is needed to reduce the pain and relieve the pressure that is harming the nerve.
There are a few theories as to why there is such an increase in carpal tunnel syndrome diagnoses. The most common is that people are spending more time on computers. Typing on a keyboard requires a certain position of the hands and wrist, which lends itself to an increase in pressure on the median nerve. Some people try to use cushions under the wrist on both their keyboards and mouse pads in an attempt to remedy this. Although this isn’t a magic cure for preventing carpal tunnel, it certainly doesn’t hurt to keeping prolonged pressure off of your wrists. Keeping your wrists elevated slightly is a good way to reduce the impact on the nerve. While there are other factors that can increase your chance of getting carpal tunnel, such as family history and other health conditions, anything you can do to reduce your risk is worth trying.
If you have been experiencing any sort of numbness, tingling, burning, or hand and wrist pain, especially centralized in your thumb or middle fingers, give DiBella Chiropractic a call right away. If you are also experiencing any weakness or pain that travels up your arm and into your shoulder, let us know when you set up your appointment. We will do our best to get you into our office quickly and see if you are experiencing symptoms of carpal tunnel. We will do our best to help you feel better without the need for surgery or medication, so give us a call today!
