Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Q&A

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a painful and sometimes debilitating condition of the hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow. It can affect anyone and is most common in people who perform repetitive movements of the hand, wrist, and forearm such as typing.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome causes pain, numbness and tingling or a “pins and needles” feeling in the thumb, first and second fingers, and part of the ring finger. Pain may also radiate up the wrist and arm. It’s a progressive condition, which means that the longer it goes untreated, the worse it becomes. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common work-related injuries in the U.S. In some people, the syndrome may be caused by an injury to the wrist, hand or lower arm.

What does a chiropractor do to treat carpal tunnel syndrome and relieve symptoms?

The chiropractors at Virginia Family Chiropractic have considerable experience in treating nerve-related injuries. Using special techniques like deep tissue manipulation, therapeutic massage, gentle stretching exercises are usually part of an effective treatment plan for carpal tunnel syndrome. Bracing, use of ice packs and ultrasound treatments may also be prescribed. Often, there are additional nerve-related issues further along the arm and even into the cervical spine (the portion of the spine located in the neck). Using hands-on evaluation methods, a chiropractor can also determine if additional issues are present so symptoms can be treated and corrected at their source for long-lasting relief.

What is ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the study of how people work and perform specific tasks, with a focus on how performing those tasks affects the body. Ergonomics takes into account all the forces, stress and strains exerted on the body throughout a workday or when performing chores, and then uses an analysis of biomechanics to determine how the processes involved in those tasks can be improved or modified to reduce the risk of injury and painful symptoms. A good example of ergonomics at work is redesigning the height ratio between a desk and chair to reduce strain on the wrists, which can help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.