Carpal Tunnel Specialist

What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the nerve that runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand gets compressed or pinched as it passes through a narrow space in the wrist called the carpal tunnel.

The tendons that control finger movements also pass through the carpal tunnel. When you perform tasks that require repetitive or forceful hand and wrist movements, the constant stress on the tendons causes swelling, then the swelling pushes against the nerve, causing the pinched nerve responsible for carpal tunnel syndrome.

What complications develop from untreated carpal tunnel?

When you first develop carpal tunnel syndrome, you’ll experience numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers. Over time, the tingling may worsen to become painful, pain may shoot from your hand up your arm, and you may feel like your fingers are swollen even when they’re not.

If carpal tunnel goes untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to weakness and lack of coordination in your fingers and thumb. Untreated carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to irreversible nerve damage, causing permanent weakness and loss of function.

What chiropractic treatments are used for carpal tunnel?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is frequently treated using chiropractic techniques that directly manipulate the wrist, but that’s not the only area of the body that is treated. Chiropractic treatment begins at the spine and continues along the arm, focusing on the elbow.

Treating from the spine down to the hand is important because many patients with carpal tunnel syndrome also have nerve compression in the neck. Then the nerve passes through another narrow tunnel in the elbow on its way to the wrist, so you’ll get better results with thorough care that treats the whole nerve pathway rather than focusing only on the wrist.

At ProActive Spine Care you have access to comprehensive care in a state-of-the-art facility. Dr. McMillin is trained in diverse chiropractic and manual therapy techniques, including gentle approaches that work well for carpal tunnel syndrome. Dr. McMillin and his staff also help you with functional rehabilitation, show you exercises to do at home that help prevent carpal tunnel, and correct your posture, if needed, to ensure proper ergonomics.