The second most common reason that patients seek out chiropractic care is neck pain. The new patient paperwork you complete will ask about pain and disability in other areas of the body. This can include mild or infrequent numbness in the hand because they think that the feeling is unrelated. Once care begins, a patient might notice “carpal tunnel syndrome” like symptoms to resolve. Why’s that?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
It’s important to understand that CTS is caused by pressure on the median nerve restricting its mobility through the wrist. This can result from inflamed tissues due to rapid, repetitive hand movements or swelling caused by hormonal issues, like pregnancy.
However, the median nerve doesn’t appear out of nowhere and travels into the wrist to innervate the hand and fingers. From the cervical spine, through the shoulder, and down the arm passing through a variety of tissues that are all capable of placing pressure on the nerve. Symptoms like pain, numbness, and weakness in the hand and wrist can manifest, even if there is no prior issue.
Additionally, problems affecting the median nerve when it exits the neck can also make it more susceptible to problems elsewhere. For example, a 2021 study found that patients with a cervical spinal cord injury have two-times increased risk for CTS.
Chiropractic Care for CTS
Musculoskeletal disorders can affect the neck and produce or contribute to symptoms in other regions of the body. Chiropractors will examine the whole patient when they come in for complaints like hand and wrist pain. The examination includes viewing the shoulder and arm to look for other causes of median nerve interference. A study published in 2016 found that about 6% of CTS patients also have a condition called pronator teres syndrome. Pronator teres syndrome is a restriction of the median nerve as it passes through the forearm.
Chiropractic treatment aims to address all potential causes of median nerve entrapment observed during the initial examination. Spinal manipulation, joint mobilization, soft tissue work, nutritional recommendations, nocturnal splinting, and activity modifications are some of the multimodal approaches. If non-musculoskeletal issues are suspected, chiropractors may co-manage the condition with the patient’s medical physician or a specialist.
