The Beacon would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to our newest contributor, Dr. Jeremiah Morgan. Dr. Morgan is a licensed Chiropractic Physician as well as a Certified Active Release Technique provider. He practices in downtown Matthews at ProActive Chiropractic on John Street. Let’s give him a warm Matthews welcome!

Think bigger than Carpal Tunnel

A quick internet search on “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome”  (CTS) will show you endless results of the same basic definition of the condition: “a medical condition due to compression of the median nerve as it travels through the wrist at the carpal tunnel.” The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expands on the definition, “Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.” You will also find the same list of symptoms such as frequent burning, tingling, or itching, numbness in the palm of the hand and the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers. Carpal Tunnel is arguably one of the most familiar medical conditions; everyone knows about it! However, it is still one of the most misdiagnosed conditions . We need to start thinking bigger than just Carpal Tunnel.

The nerves that supply the hand travel all way up into the cervical spine, this means that compression on the nerves can happen anywhere along the pathway of those nerves. Pressure anywhere can create Carpal Tunnel-like symptoms!

Correcting the Cause

The first step to treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome successfully is accurate diagnosis. If someone’s nerve if getting pressed on at the shoulder (a condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome), then treating the wrist won’t help because they don’t have CTS. The true cause needs to be addressed. Sadly, many medical professionals are not taught how to accurately test for other sources of nerve compression. However, one encouraging piece of news is that the rates of successful treatment for CTS are increasing, and this is likely because many MDs are referring to Chiropractors, and Physical Therapists for the management of Carpal Tunnel-like symptoms. If you are having pain, numbness, or weakness in the hand, then do yourself a favor and contact your local Chiropractor or PT to schedule an evaluation!

In the meantime:

There are a lot of stretches that are recommended for Carpal Tunnel-like symptoms. Some are more effective than others. In my own clinical experience, the one that is the most effective on the whole nerve from top to bottom is the nerve glide exercise. This is also referred to as a “nerve flossing” exercise. This stretch is designed to help take tension and pressure off the Median nerve through a combination of movements. Here is a good instructional video on YouTube that explains and demonstrates how to do it.

So, before you start wearing the brace or consider aggressive procedures like surgery, have your wrist looked at and treated by a local Chiropractor, Physical Therapist, or Massage Therapist and see how they can help alleviate your symptoms.

There are a lot of stretches that are recommended for Carpal Tunnel-like symptoms. Some are more effective than others. In my own clinical experience, the one that is the most effective on the whole nerve from top to bottom is the nerve glide exercise. This is also referred to as a “nerve flossing” exercise. This stretch is designed to help take tension and pressure off the Median nerve through a combination of movements. Here is a good instructional video on YouTube that explains and demonstrates how to do it.

So, before you start wearing the brace or consider aggressive procedures like surgery, have your wrist looked at and treated by a local Chiropractor, Physical Therapist, or Massage Therapist and see how they can help alleviate your symptoms.