Have you ever experienced weakness or numbness in the first three fingers of your hand? Does your wrist feel painful? Does the pain seem to extend towards your hand and arm? Do you experience some difficulty in the coordination of your hand and fingers? If your answer is yes to these questions, you might want to get checked for carpal tunnel syndrome.

This article will discuss five questions people often have about carpal tunnel syndrome and the answers to them. Later, it will also clarify which method (specifically on carpal tunnel chiropractic vs surgery) can give the affected individual more sustainable and long-lasting relief from this condition.

#1. What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disorder that may impair the wrist and parts of the hand and arm of a person. This syndrome occurs when the hand’s median nerve (in the carpal tunnel) becomes constricted due to swelling or inflammation. 

The median nerve, connected to the first three fingers of the hand and part of the ring finger, is responsible for giving these fingers some sensation. When the median nerve is compressed, the sufferer might experience numbness, tingling pain, and poor coordination in these fingers. 

#2. What are the symptoms of this condition?

Pain is the most classic symptom that comes along with carpal tunnel syndrome. Some patients feel a lingering painful sensation that radiates from their wrists up to part of the arms and hands. Another common symptom is difficulty in gripping objects in your hands. Many people with carpal syndrome have reported experiencing weakness in the muscles of their affected hands. 

Severe cases of carpal tunnel syndrome might prompt the people who experience it to choose between carpal tunnel chiropractic vs surgery for relief.

#3. What causes this condition?

This condition is closely linked to swelling in the wrist that can constrict the median nerve. Carpal tunnel syndrome can arise from an underlying health condition that causes inflammation, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders. 

Carpal tunnel syndrome can also result from a fracture or degeneration of the bones in your wrist due to repetitive motions. Some activities that can lead to the development of this condition are constantly using hand tools that vibrate, playing the piano, typing on a keyboard, and even driving.

Accelerated degeneration of the wrist bones can also be caused by smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, excessive weight, overeating salt, dehydration, and lack of exercise. 

#4. Who is at risk of getting this condition?

People who do repetitive movements at work with their hands can develop this condition. Drivers, people who work on a computer the whole day, carpenters, pianists, and factory workers are some of the people who might be at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

Other at-risk individuals include those with existing health conditions that may cause inflammation or swell in the wrist. These individuals include pregnant and menopausal women, patients with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, autoimmune disorders such as lupus.

#5. What methods can give relief from this condition?

Before doctors determine an excellent method to give patients with carpal tunnel syndrome some relief, they must first diagnose the condition. So when patients come to the ER to get their wrists checked, doctors will ask about the history of the pain in their wrist. Then, they will perform an x-ray scan, physical examination, and a test to check the nerves of the affected wrist. 

Depending on the severity of your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, your doctor might recommend a different method for relief. For mild to moderate CTS symptoms, your doctor might prescribe pain relievers, like painkillers and anti-inflammatories, to reduce the swelling and painful sensation in the wrist. Your doctor may also place your hand on a splint to prevent movement for the wrist. These methods can provide fast relief from the pain brought by carpal tunnel syndrome. However, this relief is only temporary. Splinting, although helpful, can also get in the way of your normal daily tasks.

For more severe cases, your doctor may recommend a surgical intervention to eliminate the compression of the nerve in your wrist. This method results in long-lasting relief from carpal tunnel syndrome. The only downside to surgery is that it can take time for your hands to heal from the operation, which can also interfere with your usual activities and work. This is why several patients with the condition are looking at carpal tunnel chiropractic vs surgery as a means of getting relief. 

Get Help from a NUCCA Chiropractor for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, you might be already researching and assessing different methods for relief. Finding out which recovery plan works best for you is essential for you to control your wrist condition. Many patients with carpal tunnel syndrome have gone the same way and investigated some alternative methods to give their wrist’s relief. Many of these individuals discovered NUCCA chiropractic. Here is a brief explanation of why a NUCCA practitioner may be able to help you with your condition:

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that stems from compression in the nerves of the wrist. Nerves are part of the spinal cord that connects to the brain, sending and receiving signals to and from the rest of the body. A misalignment in the upper cervical spine (which is extremely common) can result in a constriction of nerves in the other parts of the body, including the wrist. Hence, correcting this misalignment through the help of a NUCCA chiropractor can help significantly reduce the painful sensation in your wrist. Learn more about the benefits of getting carpal tunnel chiropractic vs surgery today. Contact a NUCCA doctor near you!

[blog-button]