What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is numbness, tingling, weakness, and other problems in your hand because of pressure on the median nerve in your wrist.
The median nerve and several tendons run from your forearm to your hand through a small space in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. The median nerve controls movement and feeling in your thumb and first three fingers (not your little finger).
What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?
Pressure on the median nerve causes carpal tunnel syndrome. This pressure can come from swelling or anything that makes the carpal tunnel smaller. Many things can cause this swelling, including:
- Illnesses such as hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes.
- Repetitive hand movements, especially if the wrist is bent down (your hands lower than your wrists).
- Pregnancy.
At Spine Central we offer an alternative approach to the traditional medical treatments of surgery and injections. Low Level Laser and combination with manual therapy offers a conservative less invasive approach. This less invasive approach should always be considered as a trial of therapy prior to more invasive approaches.
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