Do Chiropractic Treatments Help in Carpal Tunnel Relief?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful and often debilitating condition that can make it difficult to perform even the simplest everyday tasks, such as typing, writing, or using a computer. The carpal tunnel is a narrow, rigid path made up of ligaments and bones in the wrist. Various factors can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, but the results are similar.
The numbness affects the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and a portion of the ring finger. These symptoms worsen at night and can become so severe that you wake up from sleeping. This can become incredibly annoying and make it difficult to do basic tasks that require hand-eye coordination.
If this nerve becomes compressed or irritated, you will experience pain, numbness, or tingling in these areas. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, the major and first step is to learn more about your treatment choices.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated with a variety of methods, including conservative therapy and surgery. Treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome include rest, splinting the wrist to prevent bending, over-the-counter pain medications, or corticosteroid injections into the wrist to ease inflammation of the nerve. Severe symptoms may require surgery to ease pressure on the nerve. If in Florida, a reliable chiropractor in Jupiter can treat carpal tunnel syndrome with chiropractic therapy and spinal manipulation to reduce pressure on nerves that feed into your wrists. A significant advantage of choosing chiropractic care for carpal tunnel relief is that it offers relief without long recovery times or the risks of surgery.
Chiropractors are trained to create conditions for the body to heal itself. They do so by finding where the bones, muscles, and connective tissues are misaligned, and then they use their hands to apply a small amount of force on the affected area. This process relieves tension and pain while slowly restoring balance in the body.
There is still controversy over whether chiropractic treatment effectively treats carpal tunnel syndrome. However, many patients have reported that it helps relieve their symptoms. Some also report an increase in range of motion. Treatments may include;
Manual manipulation
Chiropractors can perform manual manipulation of your wrists to relax the muscles and enhance the mobility of the joints. The elbow, hand, and wrist are all linked together. Chiropractic treatments are so effective because they treat the root cause of carpal tunnel syndrome instead of just the symptoms. Chiropractors do this by manipulating the spine and joints to get your body back into alignment. Once your body has been realigned, you may experience less pain because your nerves will no longer be pinched or compressed. A chiropractor will adjust your neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints to provide relief from carpal tunnel syndrome.
Custom Orthotics
Carpal tunnel syndrome signs can also be relieved with custom orthotics. Custom orthotics are shoe inserts that are specifically designed to treat different foot problems that have an impact on your entire body. They typically consist of three layers; a top layer made of foam or other soft material, a bottom layer made of plastic or metal, and a middle layer made of foam that can hold its shape.
Ultrasound therapy
Ultrasound therapy is another treatment method often used by chiropractors to treat pain in the wrists associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. Using this method, a gel is applied to your skin before ultrasound waves are transmitted through the gel into your body. The ultrasound waves increase blood circulation and stimulate tissue repair.
Massage
Most studies show that massage therapy for hands and forearms can be helpful for people with milder cases of carpal tunnel. An experienced massage therapist will know how to apply pressure to different muscles in your arms, neck, and shoulders to relieve tension. Some chiropractors use massage as a pressure-release technique, in which they apply pressure to specific points of the hand, wrist, and arm while stretching the fingers. Other chiropractors use massage only to relax the muscles and calm inflammation.
Electrical stimulation therapy
In the early stages of carpal tunnel syndrome, it is possible to reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome using electrical stimulation therapy. Electrical stimulation delivers a small electric current to your wrist and hand. The electrical current can be delivered by electrodes (small pads) placed on the skin or through an electrode inserted into your wrist. Electrical stimulation therapy can help to reduce pain and tingling in the hands. In addition, if carpal tunnel syndrome has contributed to a loss of muscle strength in your hand, electrical stimulation may help improve muscle strength and function.
Electrical stimulation therapy may be beneficial in helping you manage pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, but it is not a cure for CTS. This form of treatment will not eliminate the symptoms of your condition, but it may provide some temporary relief from pain and improve strength in affected muscles.