Wrist,
hand and forearm injuries can be debilitating. Not only
because they're painful, but also because of the inconvenience:
injure one of these body parts and see how many everyday
activities are affected. These parts' close grouping also
means that if you injure one, pain or discomfort will likely
spread to the other areas as well. Lately, the number of
wrist, hand and forearm injuries has been rising. What is
the culprit? Carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive
strain injuries associated with increased use of computers.
To
care for wrist, hand and forearm conditions, Dr. Cady will
first determine the exact source of the pain. He can then
begin a management plan that may include adjustments, physiotherapeutic
modalities, such as ultrasound, soft tissue therapy and
perhaps a recommendation for a brace or splint.
Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome:
Carpal
tunnel syndrome (CTS) isn't a disorder with a simple cause
and a simple cure. Rather, CTS is a set of signs and symptoms
relating to a wide-range of problems that involve pain,
swelling and inflammation in the hand and forearm.
Those
affected by CTS often complain of an aching pain in the
upper arm or forearm, accompanied by tingling and numbness
or weakness in the thumb, index, middle or ring fingers.
Often, the symptoms get more severe at night, causing patients
to wake from a deep sleep with a burning sensation in their
hand. People with CTS also complain that everyday activities
like holding a pen or picking things up become more and
more difficult.
CTS
develops when there's compression of the median nerve, which
runs through a space in the wrist called the carpal tunnel.
To understand how this happens, imagine wearing a bracelet
that's too small for your arm. Such a bracelet would constrict
the soft tissues around your wrist, impinging on the carpal
tunnel and the median nerve within.
Something
similar to a tight bracelet can develop when you perform
prolonged activities that involve the hand and forearm,
like typing or using hand tools. These activities involve
extensive wrist flexion (bending the wrist upward when the
palm is facing up, as if you were lifting a table) and wrist
extension (bending the wrist upward when the palm is facing
down, as if you were waving to someone), which can lead
to inflammation in the tendons. Like the bracelet, this
inflammation compresses the carpal tunnel.
Even
if typing and using hand tools aren't in your day-to-day
routine, such inflammation can still affect you. Traditionally,
health-care providers considered CTS to be a work-related
disorder, with typing and repetitive strain being the main
culprits. They now know, however, that factors like pregnancy,
obesity, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease can also
predispose people to swelling in the carpal tunnel, putting
them at risk of getting CTS.
If
you don't get care for the condition, it can worsen over
time. Fortunately, chiropractic care can successfully manage
CTS. Dr. Cady can relieve swelling and inflammation, rehabilitate
the affected wrist and provide you with advice that can
prevent the condition from recurring. Depending on the factors
underlying the condition, you may also need to see a medical
doctor, in which case Dr. Cady can make an appropriate referral.
