Can a Chiropractor Help with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Can a chiropractor help with carpal tunnel sufferers’ pain? The short answer is yes, chiropractic treatments are highly effective at reducing pain caused by symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. In the sections below, the experts for chiropractic care in Woodstock at Ribley Chiropractic offer answers to some frequently asked questions about carpal tunnel chiropractic treatments.

What Are the Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel?

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) include:

• Numbness, tingling, or pain in your hand or wrist
• Weakness beginning in the thumb, index, and middle fingers
• Difficulty holding objects or making a fist
• Pressure creating the sensation of swelling
• Trouble discerning hot or cold objects

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Swelling around the carpal tunnel puts pressure on the median nerve that passes through to the thumb and first two fingers of the hand. Repetitive motions cause most CTS injuries, especially for those working in construction, manufacturing, data entry, and administration roles.

Women are at higher risk because their carpal tunnel space is often smaller than men’s. In fact, women get CTS at triple the rate of men.

Other risk factors include:

• Use of vibrating tools for work, including drills, electric saws, jackhammers, etc., which can double the risk of developing CTS.
• High computer usage with a mouse and keyboard.
• Pre-existing inflammatory conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Obesity or fluid retention that can cause the carpal tunnel to swell.
• Pre-existing wrist problems from an old sports injury, healed bone break, or arthritis in the wrist.

Can a Chiropractor Help with Carpal Tunnel Treatment?

Researchers have performed limited chiropractic studies to determine if chiropractic treatment effectively treats CTS. A primary study published in 1998 tested two groups, one receiving ibuprofen and using a nighttime brace, while the other received chiropractic adjustments of the “upper extremities and spine,” ultrasound treatments over the affected carpal tunnel, and nighttime braces.

The study suggests that both groups saw benefits with their carpal tunnel symptoms, but neither treatment was more effective than the other. If you want to avoid taking medication to manage your symptoms, you might find chiropractic treatments to be highly effective in reducing your pain.

What Can You Do to Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

You may be able to prevent the injury before it occurs. Because repetitive motions lead to the injury affecting the median nerve, you can alter your behaviors and utilize aids to reduce your risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

Some things you can do include:

• Using good posture when typing or using hand tools.
• Upgrading to ergonomic tools, keyboards, and workstations.
• Taking frequent rests to stand up, stretch, and adjust your position.
• Quitting smoking if you’re a tobacco user.
• Using a standing desk.
• Stretching wrists and hands often.
• Wearing gloves or wrist warmers if you work in a cold environment.

Call Ribley Chiropractic in Woodstock for Highly Effective Chiropractic Treatments

So can a chiropractor help with carpal tunnel syndrome? If you have numbness, tingling, or pain in your wrist, you could have the onset symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. It is possible that chiropractic treatments could be highly effective in lessening your pain due to CTS. Call Ribley Chiropractic in Woodstock, GA, to schedule an appointment.