Dr. Russell sees a lot of patients troubled with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Henderson chiropractic practice. While some people think that the origin of this wrist-related pain is muscular, it's really a syndrome that stems from the nerves--and not just the nerves in your hands.
A recent study printed in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy assessed 71 women between the ages of 35 and 59 who were diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. Upon investigating the subjects' neck range of motion, the authors found that the patients had reduced cervical mobility when compared to a healthy control group.
In addition, they also found that the degree of the women's reported carpal tunnel pain was related to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In short, the less flexibility in the neck, the higher the level of pain.
This study is very important, as you can't successfully resolve a problem until you fully understand its cause. By recognizing that the root of carpal tunnel symptoms is in the neck, this means that all-natural approaches like chiropractic can often restore normal function, reducing the need for risky surgical procedures.
If you are suffering from carpal tunnel pain, call our Henderson location and ask how Dr. Russell can help you get relief!
References
De-la-Llave-Rincon A et al. (2011, May). Women with carpal tunnel syndrome show restricted cervical range of motion. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy;41(5):305-10.
Simon H. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. University of Maryland Medical Center. Updated May 6, 2012. Retrieved from https://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/carpal-tunnel-syndrome on November 2, 2015.