Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, and Chiropractic Treatment

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most common complaints chiropractors have walk into their offices that isn’t related to the spine. This condition affects the nerves of the upper extremities and manifests as pain, tingling, and numbness in the hands and forearms. 

This being said, carpal tunnel syndrome is also thoroughly over-diagnosed. Symptoms of numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands and forearms are not specific to only one condition. In fact, CTS can only accurately be classified as such if the nerve involved is being compressed within the carpal tunnel itself. If the nerve is being compressed or affected at any other place along its path down the upper extremity, technically the patient can’t be described as having CTS. 

What happens in CTS? 

First, you have to understand that different nerves do different things in your extremities. To understand the symptoms of this condition, we have to focus on the median nerve. This nerve controls the function of many muscles within your forearm and your hand. It also allows you to feel sensations in your thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half of your ring finger on each hand. 

When compression of a nerve occurs, the signals traveling down the nerve get interrupted, and the associated muscles and sensory areas become symptomatic. 

With CTS, compression is occurring at the carpal tunnel–a small space located on the palmar side of the wrist which houses nine separate tendons and the median nerve. 

What causes CTS?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has many potential causes. Some of them include: 

• Occupational tasks putting pressure on area (i.e. typing)

• Fracture of wrist or forearm bones

• Trauma to wrist soft tissues

• Misalignments of carpal (wrist) bones

• Anomalous structures (fun fact: some people have been shown to have a bifid median nerve, meaning it splits into two nerves and takes up double the space)

• Space occupying lesions (i.e. cysts)

• Systemic conditions causing inflammation

• Idiopathic (doctor language for “we don’t know”)

How do chiropractors help with CTS?

Chiropractors help with CTS in a couple key ways. First of all, they expand the diagnostic search to the entire pathway of the median nerve. By assessing all areas the nerve could be compressed, they’re able to determine if the condition is true CTS or not, and then treat it accordingly. 

Chiropractors also can provide gentle extremity and cervical adjustments in the neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist to address any misalignments of the joints. By making sure every section of the extremity is aligned correctly, they’re ensuring your best possible chance at a quick and easy recovery from pain. 

Finally, chiropractors can perform mild soft tissue work if deemed necessary, and advise patients on ergonomic or postural changes to mitigate risk of worsening their symptoms or reinjuring themselves in the future.