Boca Raton Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment

Mayo Clinic affirms that the beginning of carpal tunnel syndrome is often subtle, and it can be difficult to understand if you have a problem. Patients will often explain numbness or tingling in their hands at night, which they might attribute to sleeping on their arms.

As the condition progresses, patients may experience tingling or numbness during the day when using their hands or wrists. This is when you might realize that you need to look for Boca Raton carpal tunnel syndrome treatment. The good news is that carpal tunnel syndrome is treatable.

Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome depends largely on the severity of your condition. For minor cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, doctors usually recommend physiotherapy. According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, chiropractic adjustments significantly improve movement times.

Our chiropractors will recommend the appropriate conservative measures and avoidance of activities that exacerbate symptoms. Call Specific Care Chiropractic today at (239) 932-5314 to learn more about our services.

Table of Contents

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel is a repetitive stress injury resulting from the overuse of your hand and wrist muscles. Mostly, pain and tingling in your hand and fingers are caused by inflammation around the median nerve. This nerve travels from the forearm to the palm and digits, running through a passageway called the carpal tunnel.

This passage is located at the base of your wrist and is made up of small bones and ligaments that swell up due to repetitive motions. When this happens, pressure is placed on the nerve, causing pain and tingling.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common among women than men. However, it can affect people of all ages and genders.

How to Know if You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Do you occasionally wake up in the middle of the night with a tingling or numb sensation in your hand? If so, you might have carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms may develop gradually or suddenly over time. At first, they may come and go, but they’ll likely grow worse over time if you leave them untreated. Also, they vary from person to person.

Carpal tunnel symptoms include:

  • Pain or tingling in your hand or fingers
  • Numbness in your hand or fingers
  • Weakness or decreased ability to grip things with your hand
  • Clumsiness with fumbling and dropping things
  • Decreased sensation around your thumb and first three fingers

What the Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Involves

Your therapist will generally check the sensation and strength of your fingers, hand, and wrist. They will likely also ask about your symptoms.

Additional tests may include:

  • Tapping on the transverse carpal ligament to see if it hurts
  • Repeatedly opening and closing your hand against resistance to see if it causes pain, tingling or weakness
  • Bending your wrist up and down to see if it causes symptoms
  • Measuring nerve conduction velocity by sending an electrical impulse through the median nerve to measure how fast the signal travels through the nerve (Johns Hopkins). This test can determine if there is any damage to the nerve.

In addition to a physical exam, doctors may order an X-ray (to look for arthritis) or an electromyogram (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test to measure how quickly electrical signals move through your nerves. If carpal tunnel syndrome is suspected, rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms, such as arthritis, thyroid issues, and nerve problems.

Upon reviewing your diagnostic tests, we will develop a treatment plan that targets the affected area and encourages better mobility. To treat carpal tunnel syndrome, we offer a variety of physiotherapies and treatment options.

What Your Boca Raton Chiropractor Can Do for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

So what to expect from a chiropractor? They will offer the following services to manage your carpal tunnel syndrome.

Chiropractic Adjustments

This is the most important aspect of treating carpal tunnel syndrome. A chiropractic adjustment helps decrease inflammation and increase blood flow to support the healing of your damaged nerves. In addition, chiropractic adjustments can help relieve pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, allowing you to get back to normal activities sooner.

wrist pain concept of Boca Raton carpal tunnel syndrome treatment

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy involves exercises prescribed by a physical therapist to increase strength and flexibility in your wrists and hands, reducing stress on your nervous system.

Physiotherapy includes:

  • Rehabilitative massage
  • Massage therapy
  • Ultrasound therapy
  • Corrective measures
  • Electrical muscle stimulation

Median Nerve Glides

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons states that glides also help decrease pressure on your median nerve through gentle stretching techniques that improve blood flow through this area of the body. This way, healing can take place more quickly.

Extension Stretches

An extension stretch involves holding both hands up straight in front of you while keeping your arms at shoulder level. Hold this position for 15 seconds or longer until you feel a gentle stretch in your wrist and hand muscles.

Flexion Stretches

A flexion stretch involves placing one arm on a flat surface while bending the hand to parallel it to the ground. You can stretch the palm with the other hand and hold it for 15 seconds.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a serious condition. If left untreated, it can cause permanent damage to your nerves. We have a team of chiropractors who provide rehabilitation plans to help relieve symptoms and restore hand and wrist functionality.

Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Many different things may increase your risk of developing this condition. Some of these include:

Health Conditions

Health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes increase your risk of developing CTS because they cause inflammation in your joints. This can lead to swelling in your hands.

Repetitive Motion of Your Wrist/Hand for Long Periods

Work that requires repetitive motion of your wrist or hand for long periods can also cause CTS because this type of work puts pressure on the median nerve in your wrists.

Age-Related Changes

As you age, the connective tissue lining of your tunnel can become inflamed or swollen, putting pressure on the median nerve and causing pain.

Obesity

Excess weight puts pressure on your body’s joints and tendons, including those in your wrists. This extra pressure can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

Heredity

Some people have a predisposition toward developing carpal tunnel syndrome because of family history or genetics.

Seek Boca Raton Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment

Do you suffer from numbness, tingling, and pain in your hands? If so, you may have carpal tunnel syndrome. Seek out Boca Raton carpal tunnel syndrome treatment and visit our new patient center.

Our physiotherapists at Specific Care Chiropractic offer chiropractic adjustments for patients suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. We provide you with a rehabilitation plan for your carpal tunnel that fits your specific needs. Contact us at (239) 932-5314 to learn more about our services and speak to our staff.