Well, firstly, what is it?
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is an injury caused by a compressed nerve in the wrist, resulting in pain and numbness in the index and middle fingers and weakness of the thumb. The carpal tunnel gets its name from the eight bones in the wrist, called the carpals, which also form part of the “tunnel” which the passes leading to nerve leading to the hand.
What you should expect to feel:
Some signs and symptoms of CTS include the following:
Night-time painful tingling in one or both hands that frequently cause sleep disturbance.
A sense that fingers are swollen, even though little or no swelling is apparent.
Daytime tingling in the hands, followed by a decreased ability to squeeze things.
Loss of strength in the muscle at the base of the thumb.
Pain shooting from the hand up the arm as far as the shoulder.
We commeonly treat CTS at the clinic – C1 Chiropractic Health Centre. The methods we, and most chiropractors, use to treat CTS include manipulation of the wrist, elbow and upper spine.
And there are some good studies that support the use of chiropractic treatment for CTS.
In the first study, 25 individuals diagnosed with CTS reported significant improvements in several measures of strength, range of motion and pain after receiving chiropractic treatment. Most of these improvements were maintained for at least 6 months.
A second study compared the effects of chiropractic care with conservative medical care (wrist supports and ibuprofen) among 91 people with CTS. Both groups experienced significant improvement in nerve function, finger sensation and comfort. The researchers concluded that chiropractic treatment and conservative medical care are equally effective for people with CTS. Now this one is the most significant bearing in mind the damage ibuprofen can do to you.
And the good news is that most people’s symptoms clear up within a few months with conventional treatment. If left untreated, CTS in advanced stages can become quite serious, involving a loss of sensation, muscle deterioration and permanent loss of function.
If you need to ask us more contact us at: info@c1healthcentre.co.uk
or have a look at: www.c1healthcentre.co.uk
And here’s the supporting research:
Banner R, Hudson EW. Case report: acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome. Can Fam Physician. 2001;47:547-549.
Bonebrake AR, Fernandez JE, Dahalan JB, Marley RJ. A treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. J Manipulative Physiol Ther . 1993;16(3):125-139.
Bonebrake AR, Fernandez JE, Marley RJ, Dahalan JB, Kilmer KJ. A treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome: evaluation of objective and subjective measures. J Manipulative Physiol Ther . 1990;13(9):507-520.
Branco K, Naeser MA. Carpal tunnel syndrome: clinical outcome after low-level laser acupuncture, microamps transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and other alternative therapies — an open protocol study. J Altern Complement Med. 1999;5(1):5-26.
Davis PT, Hulbert JR, Kassak KM, Meyer JJ. Comparative efficacy of conservative medical and chiropractic treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized clinical trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther . 1998;21(5):317-326.
