Dr. Holland sees a lot of people troubled with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Downtown St. Louis, MO chiropractic practice. While some people think that the source of this wrist-related pain is muscular, it's actually a condition that arises from the nerves--and not just the nerves in your hands.
Recent research 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 doctors discovered that the patients had less cervical flexibility when compared to a healthy control group.
In addition, it was also discovered that the degree of the women's reported carpal tunnel discomfort was related to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In other words, the less flexibility in the neck area, the greater the level of pain.
This research is extremely important, as you can't effectively address a condition until you fully understand its source. By recognizing that the root of carpal tunnel pain is in the neck, this means that natural approaches such as chiropractic can often restore normal function, eliminating the need for risky operations.
If you are suffering from carpal tunnel pain, call our Downtown St. Louis, MO office and ask how Dr. Holland can help you get relief!
Sources
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.