Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, also known as median neuropathy at the wrist, is a condition in which the sufferer experiences a compression of the median nerve in the wrist area. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause extra-articular effects like swelling around the wrist that can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. The public’s knowledge of this condition has significantly risen in the past couple of decades.

The symptoms that are generally associated with carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness or tingling sensation in the digits and hand. Over time, these mild symptoms can lead to the inability to maintain a fist and overall weakness in the hand and wrist. Other symptoms can include spasms and involuntary movements of the fingers, pain in the center of the palm, and sensations of misalignment in the bones of the fingers. In all cases, lack of treatment can worsen the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome significantly.

Though there is no known cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, the malady has been pinpointed by scientists and medical researchers. Many treatment options are available to reduce the side effects and symptoms. Chiropractors have implemented several successful therapeutic techniques to curb the negative effects of carpal tunnel syndrome.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), women are three times more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. The NINDS research suggests that this is because the carpal tunnel itself is smaller in women. Carpal tunnel syndrome affects the dominant hand first and that is where it produces the most intense pain. People with metabolic disorders that directly affect the body's nerves and nervous system are at high risk of developing the disorder as well as sufferers of diabetes. The syndrome mainly affects adults. Carpal tunnel syndrome is three times more likely among people that work on an assembly line type of job than among computer users.

A popular misconception is that the rise in the number of computer using occupations has led to a surge in the number of occurrences of carpal tunnel syndrome. In fact, a study by the Mayo Clinic in 2001 found that heavy computer use of up to seven hours a day did not increase a person's risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) estimated that during 1998, three out of every 10,000 workers missed time from work because of carpal tunnel syndrome. Half of these workers missed over ten days of work. The NIH estimates that the average lifetime cost of carpal tunnel syndrome is about $30,000 per injured worker. That estimate includes medical bills and time lost from work.

Jobs at high risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome include:

• Sewing
• Cleaning
• Finishing
• Manufacturing
• Meat, poultry, or fish packing and processing

Why continue without any answers to your wrist and hand pain? Contact a U.S. Chiropractor in your area to bring answers to your pain and agony today!

Read more on other pain topics such as: Sacroiliac Joint Inflammation, Vertebral Degeneration, and Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptom