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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a commonly misunderstood diagnosis. People tend to believe this problem is only corrected by surgery and braces. But that belief is as far from the truth as it can be. To understand why, you need to understand what CTS actually is and what it is not.
CTS is a group of symptoms, usually including tingling or numbness of the first 3 fingers of the hand. This area of the hand is innervated by 2 nerve roots from the neck which join together to form a common nerve, the Median Nerve. The Median Nerve passes through a tunnel formed by the bones of the wrist (Carpal bones) and a broad ligament called the flexor retinaculum. The nerve brings the sensations felt by the fingers back to the spinal cord and ultimately the brain. Along with the nerve in the tunnel are a group of tendons from the forearm muscles that attach to the fingers to make them flex to make a fist.
In a normal wrist, there is plenty of room for the nerve and the tendons in the tunnel. But when the forearm muscles become over-used, the tendons are strained and the sleeves of the tendons swell in the tunnel. This swelling causes pressure on the softest and most compressible tissue in the tunnel, the Median nerve. This pressure causes the tingling sensation in the first 3 fingers.
So how do you get that pressure off the nerve? Well you can cut the retinacular ligament to make more room as is done in CTS surgery, or you can work to stretch the forearm muscles that started the problem. How do I know this? Well I studied the mechanisms of how the problem developed and I started treating patients who were having the problem. And guess what, I saved dozens of people who had been wearing braces on their wrists for weeks and months and were surgery bound. I once had a man who called me on a Friday asking if I thought I could help him because he was scheduled for CTS surgery on Monday and didn't want to have it. I told him to come over and I would do a trial treatment to see if it would change his symptoms. Guess what? He cancelled his surgery for Monday and through treatment had total recovery of his symptoms.
If you are having hand numbness and aren't getting back to normal, call me. 608-437-3600.
If you have questions about a problem you are having, or have a condition that other treatment has not helped, call for a consultation or examination today. 608-437-3600.
For more information, e-mail us at info@kishchiropractic.com