Carpal Tunnel

You're sitting at your desk typing on your keyboard when you suddenly feel pain shoots through your wrist and up your arm. You could be experiencing carpal tunnel. Carpal tunnel syndrome affects over 3 million people in the US per year and is caused by repeated hand or wrist movements over and over. 

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure placed on the median nerve which runs from your forearm to your wrist. This nerve provides sensation and feeling to the palm of your hand and all fingers but the pinky. Once this nerve is irritated in some way, this may lead to carpal tunnel. There are many ways that you can develop carpal tunnel ranging from inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis to a wrist fracture.

There are multiple risk factors included with carpal tunnel including the following:

• Workplace Factors: performing the same motion repeatedly or flexing the wrist
• Gender: women generally have a smaller carpal tunnel which makes it more common
• Fluid Retention: retaining fluid is common during pregnancy or menopause and can affect the wrist
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: the lining around tendons in the wrist are easily inflamed

Many people affected by carpal tunnel use a computer keyboard for extended periods of time at work. Those affected may feel several different symptoms that develop overtime including: sensation of hands "falling asleep", occasional numbness, pain within the wrist and forearm, or stiff fingers in the morning.

Those with moderate to severe carpal tunnel will notice the wrist temporarily seizing up as they grip an object with little to no effort. Opening a jar or stirring with a spoon are examples of using wrist power and finding it has little strength to perform the task.

Contact Metro Chiropractic to provide the proper treatment you require and help ease your carpal tunnel pain.