Dr. Vinick sees a lot of patients troubled with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Redondo Beach chiropractic office. While some people think that the origin of this wrist-related pain is muscular, it's actually a syndrome that arises from the nerves--and not just the nerves in your hands.
A recent study 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 studying the subjects' neck range of motion, the authors found that the patients had reduced cervical flexibility when compared to a healthy control group.
Furthermore, they also found that the degree of the women's reported carpal tunnel discomfort was linked to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In other words, the less flexibility in the neck, the higher the level of pain.
This research is very important, as you cannot effectively treat a condition until you fully understand its cause. By understanding that the root of carpal tunnel pain is in the neck, this means that all-natural approaches like chiropractic can often restore normal function, reducing the need for risky surgery.
If you suffer with carpal tunnel pain, call our Redondo Beach location and ask how Dr. Vinick 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.
