Dr. Mark Holland sees a lot of patients troubled with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Hazelwood & Florissant, MO chiropractic practice. While some people think that the origin of this wrist-related pain is muscular, it's really a condition that arises from the nerves--and not just the nerves in your hands.
Recent research published 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 found that the women had less cervical mobility when compared to a healthy control group.
In addition, they also discovered that the level of the women's reported carpal tunnel pain was linked to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In short, the less mobility in the neck, the greater the level of pain.
This research is very important, as you cannot effectively address a problem until you fully understand its cause. By realizing that the root of carpal tunnel pain is in the neck, this means that natural approaches such as chiropractic can often restore normal function, reducing the need for risky operations.
If you suffer with carpal tunnel pain, call our Hazelwood & Florissant, MO location and ask how Dr. Mark 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.