Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) – “Fact Sheet”

What is it?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) occurs when a nerve on the palm side of the wrist is pinched.  It is named after the area of the wrist where the nerve irritation occurs.  The Carpal Tunnel is basically a horseshoe shape made from 8 small carpal bones and the ends of the horseshoe are connected with a ligament.  This creates a tunnel where the a nerve called the median nerve and 9 tendons that control your fingers pass through.

What are the symptoms?

CTS symptoms start with pain in the wrist from the swelling of the tendons inside the Carpal Tunnel.  When the nerve pinch occurs, numbness, tingling, or a half asleep sensation going into the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th fingers occurs.  This is often worse at night due to the wrist being bent when asleep.  This often wakes the person and shaking/flicking the hand/fingers is needed to “wake them up.”  Grip weakness is also associated with CTS and the person may have difficulty holding onto objects or handling small parts.

What are the causes?

Usually, over use from repetitive work like meat packing, typing, sewing, carpentry and waiting tables.  These fast/repetitive movements cause swelling of the 9 tendons of the carpal tunnel which eventually irritates the median nerve.  Other causes include hormone related conditions such as hypothyroidism, dysmenorrheal, diabetes, and poor dietary habits.  Basically anything that causes the wrists to swell can lead to CTS.

How is it diagnosed?

The history of the symptoms as well as physical examination of the hands, arms, shoulders and neck leads to the correct diagnosis.  The exam consists of trying to reproduce the numbness in the fingers by pressing over the wrist and other areas where the nerve runs down the arm (including the neck where the nerve originates), tapping over the Carpal Tunnel with a reflex hammer, bending and holding the wrists at the extreme endpoints of motion.  More sophisticated testing includes an EMG (nerve conduction test) that tests the motor and sensory changes when the nerve is pinched.

How is it treated?

Chiropractic approaches include manipulation of the wrist, hand, forearm, shoulder and neck, specifically addressing the areas where the Median nerve can get pinched stretched or irritated.  Soft tissue therapy includes massage and physical therapy modalities such as low level laser.  Exercise training to stretch and strengthen the wrists and forearms is very helpful.  Nutritional counseling and supplementation is often necessary.

You May be a candidate for a treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome without Drugs or Surgery! For More information, log on to: www.relieffromcarpaltunnel.com

Or To Schedule a FREE no obligation consultation with me, Dr. Paul Kramer, call Leah or Jennifer at 262-251-8306

Should I have Carpal Tunnel Surgery ?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a painful condition that causes symptoms of pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, and loss of strength and coordination in the thumb, index, middle and sometimes one-half of the ring finger. Not all of the symptoms or fingers have to be involved at the same time, because symptoms often vary and can move around. (Symptoms occuring in the ring and little finger are not carpal tunnel syndrome and are related to a completely different problem.)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by swelling in the tendons of the wrist.  Tendons swell from over use and the swelling compresses a nerve (called the Median nerve) as it passes through a space in your wrist called the Carpal Tunnel.

Surgery is one option for treating this disabling condition; however, it remains a controversial choice and it is important to fully understand the risks and benefits involved.  Too often patients are rushed into surgery before other conservative options have been tried.  The reason for this misdirection is often due to the fact that a surgeon will make between $4-5,000 for each 30-minute surgical procedure.

Here are some things to consider before you go for surgery:

• 77% of all Carpal Tunnel Syndrome patients could not return to their previous professions following surgery, according to the Bureau of Labor & Statistics and the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (1997-2000 Statistics).
• Carpal Tunnel Surgery has about a 57% failure rate following patients from 1-day to 6-years. At least one of the following symptoms re-occurred during this time: Pain, Numbness, Tingling sensations. Source: Nancollas, et al, 1995. J. Hand Surgery.
• Up to 36% of all Carpal Tunnel Syndrome patients require unlimited ongoing medical treatment.
• It has been shown in multiple studies that carpal tunnel syndrome patients are often mis-diagnosed and are told to have the surgery, when they don’t even have it.

Surgery is by far the most invasive procedure and you need to think about it carefully because the majority of those undergoing the knife do not get long-term relief.  Also, scar tissue can develop from the surgery that can make the problem even worse.

In contrast, the vast majority of patients do better with conservative treatment. It is estimated that less than 1/3 of all carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers actually require surgical intervention. Surgery is only recommended when there is persistent, debilitating pain, badly deteriorated grip, muscle wasting and all other conservative methods have been tried.

One thing you need to know is, you don’t need to be in a hurry to get surgery.  As much as it is bothering you, you do have time to explore your options.

Chiropractic care and cold laser therapy have been found to be very effective in eliminating carpal tunnel syndrome without drugs or surgery.  To find out more about these options log on to www.ReliefFromCarpalTunnel.com and order a copy of my free report “What many doctors don’t know about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.”

Or, you can call my office at 262-251-8306 and talk to Jennifer or Leah about scheduling a FREE no obligation consultation.  It will give both of us a chance to meet, talk about your problem and see if I can help.