Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a hand injury that stems from multiple causes, from rheumatoid arthritis to menopause. The injury involves median nerve compression, which can lead to pain and discomfort in the hand and wrist. Certain people may have an anatomical predisposition to developing carpal tunnel syndrome; however, there are exercises they can perform to reduce hand pain.
If you or a loved one developed carpal tunnel syndrome, our chiropractors at Specific Care Chiropractic in Fort Myers want to examine your injury to see what steps we can take to reduce your pain symptoms. We offer Fort Myers carpal tunnel syndrome treatment, which can involve chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Is Often a Side Effect of Another Health Condition
Many people associate carpal tunnel syndrome with excessive computer or video game use. However, there is not sufficient evidence to support this correlation, according to Mayo Clinic. In reality, CTS can often be caused by multiple health factors. It may be a side effect of a chronic illness, a result of your genetics, or even medications you take.
Common causes of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- The anatomical structure of the hand, which usually affects people who have a family history of arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases
- Medications used to treat breast cancer, such as Arimidex
- Fluid retention, which is common among women who are pregnant or going through menopause
- Diabetes and other health conditions that cause nerve damage
- Kidney failure
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Lymphedema
- Obesity
During your first appointment, one of our physicians will review your medical records and ask additional questions to determine whether another health issue may have caused your carpal tunnel syndrome.
In some cases, CTS can also be a side effect of repetitive hand activity, which might affect people with labor-intensive jobs. If you developed CTS as an injury, we may request X-ray exams to see if you may have suffered other injuries, such as a finger fracture.
Chiropractic Care Can Be an Effective Treatment Method for CTS Patients
Some people might only relate spinal injuries to chiropractic care. However, this field of medical practice can treat multiple types of injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome. Our physicians are licensed and trained in various chiropractic adjustment techniques to address musculoskeletal injuries.
For carpal tunnel syndrome, we may implement the following techniques into your treatment:
Manual Extremity Manipulation
Extremity manipulation focuses on parts of the musculoskeletal system outside of the spinal cord, which includes the hands, wrists, and elbows. We can use this technique to relieve your hands’ pain symptoms and reduce compression along the median nerve in your wrist.
Knee-Chest
This technique generally focuses on adjusting vertebrae in the cervical area, which is located in the neck. However, in some cases, we notice patients with CTS may have a neck or shoulder injury as the source of their pain symptoms. If this applies to you, we will position you facing chest down onto the adjustment table to perform the treatment.
Toggle Recoil
Some chiropractic adjustments can be a bit intense for patients since they require swift, forceful thrusts. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, we might use the toggle recoil method to relieve pain and inflammation in your hands and wrists, as this technique is much gentler on patients.
Other adjustment techniques we practice include:
- Thompson drop-table technique, which is a full-body chiropractic treatment method
- Sacral-occipital technique (SOT), which focuses on repairing the relationship between the spinal cord and the central nervous system
- Side posture, which can serve people with lower back or pelvic injuries
- Diversified, which is the standard chiropractic adjustment technique for spinal manipulation
- Seated diversified, which focuses mostly on cervical injuries
- Activator, which involves using a high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) device to perform controlled adjustments
Should you want additional information about the techniques we use during your treatment, our physicians can answer your questions before your session.
Studies Have Found Positive Results for CTS Patients Getting Chiropractic Care
Multiple health journals have reported on the efficacy of using chiropractic care as carpal tunnel syndrome treatment. The Journal of Chiropractic Medicine noted that active release techniques in chiropractic treatment can help patients manage their pain symptoms and regain functionality in their hands and wrists.
Other health journals found:
- That chiropractic treatment can help patients improve their grip strength, motor functions, and sensory functions, according to The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
- That older patients can improve their pain management through chiropractic exercises and therapies, according to the journal Chiropractic & Manual Therapies.
Our facility uses evidence-based chiropractic techniques to treat our patients in Fort Myers. We want you to achieve a full recovery, so we will be transparent in our goals for your treatment and how long it may take to achieve positive results.
Physiotherapy Can Involve Learning Exercises to Combat Your CTS Symptoms
Physiotherapy can serve as a great complementary practice to your chiropractic care, as it allows us to monitor your progress and train you on new strategies to improve your mobility and functionality. In many cases, we are able to have patients reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) with physiotherapy and even improve their strength and flexibility beyond what they could achieve before their injury.
We practice the following physiotherapies:
- Stretching and strengthening therapy
- Massage therapy
- Rehabilitative therapy
- Corrective care
- Electrical muscle stimulation (E-STIM) therapy
- Ultrasound therapy
With carpal tunnel syndrome, we can teach you some hand and wrist exercises to practice at home or while working. Taking time to flex and rotate your hands can relieve nerve compression, reducing any swelling or discomfort you feel.
Call Now to Schedule Fort Myers Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
If your carpal tunnel syndrome is affecting how you use your hands for daily functions, our physicians can provide treatment to relieve your pain and discomfort. We can help you overcome limitations caused by your carpal tunnel syndrome by incorporating hand and wrist exercises into your treatment plan. Additionally, if your hand or wrist injury stems from other areas, such as your shoulders, we can apply chiropractic care to reduce your pain.
Call (239) 369-9109 to schedule your first appointment at our Fort Myers office. Specific Care Chiropractic is located on the corner of Evans Avenue and Winkler Avenue.
