Ask a Chiropractor: What to Know About the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Have you been experiencing a cold, tingling sensation accompanied by weakness and numbness in both hands? You may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and while it may seem a minor discomfort at first, it can affect your daily life because of how debilitating the symptoms can become.
Knowing the early signs and what happens in severe cases will allow you to make informed decisions on when to visit your chiropractor, so you and possibly stop the disorder from developing.
Symptoms and Long-Term Effects
The first thing you may notice is a burning sensation that occurs in your thumb and palm or index and middle finger. At night, it may seem that your fingers “fall asleep” and feel numb. During your waking moments, the tingling may run all through your wrist, forearm, and shoulder. These sensations stem from the median nerve, which is a nerve that runs through your arm, into your wrist’s carpal tunnel, and ends in your fingers.
It helps if you can have your doctor spot it early on, which is why you should consider scheduling a checkup with a chiropractor in Brick, NJ, especially since there are significant long-term effects if you leave it untreated. In severe cases, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause your nerve impulses to become slower.
You can start to lose feeling in your fingers, and the strength and coordination that goes along with it, meaning you may not be able to grip things properly, operate tools, or go about your daily business easily. In fact, untreated cases of carpal tunnel syndrome have been known to result in permanent muscle damage and loss of function of the hand.
Treatment
The good news is treating the condition does not necessarily require surgery. A simple change in lifestyle can help improve the symptoms, so taking more frequent breaks or using a more ergonomic workstation can help. Your chiropractor may prescribe you to wear a splint at night so the nerves suffer less pressure, and may even tell you to take anti-inflammatory drugs to ease the pain.
You may even consider Cold Laser Therapy, which is an effective treatment for those suffering from tissue and nerve damage from the repetitive stress of daily work.
Visit a chiropractor in Brick, NJ to see what services they can offer to relieve your median nerve of painful pressure. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure but even if you’re already afflicted with the condition, your local chiropractors are well-equipped to help bring your wrists back to health.
Sources:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Health Center
webmd.com
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (cont.)
emedicinehealth.com
