Chiropractic Beneficial for Carpal Tunnel

Dr. Ernst sees a lot of patients troubled with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Arlington chiropractic practice. While some people think that the origin of this wrist-related pain is muscular, it's really a syndrome that arises from the nerves--and not just the nerves in your hands.

A recent study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy evaluated 71 women between the ages of 35 and 59 who were diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. Upon studying the subjects' neck range of motion, the authors found that the women had reduced cervical mobility when compared to a healthy control group.

In addition, they also discovered that the degree of the women's reported carpal tunnel discomfort was related to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In short, the less flexibility in the neck, the greater the level of pain.

This research is extremely important, as you can't successfully resolve a condition until you fully understand its cause. By realizing that the root of carpal tunnel pain is in the neck, this means that natural approaches like chiropractic can often restore normal function, eliminating the need for risky surgical procedures.

If you have carpal tunnel pain, call our Arlington location and ask how Dr. Ernst can help you get relief!

Studies

De-la-Llave-Rincon A et al. (2011, May). Women with carpal tunnel syndrome show restricted cervical range of motion. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy;41(5):305-10.
Simon H. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. University of Maryland Medical Center. Updated May 6, 2012. Retrieved from https://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/carpal-tunnel-syndrome on November 2, 2015.