Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome | Yankton Chiroprator | Brian Olson Dc

http://www.olsonchiropracticcenter.com
605-665-2434
Dr. Olson, Yankton, SD chiropractor describes symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome | Yankton Chiropractor | Brian Olson DC

http://www.olsonchiropracticcenter.com
605-665-2434
Dr. Olson explains what carpal tunnel syndrome is.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: More "Fun Facts!" | Yankton Chiropractor | Brian Olson DC

Did you know that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) can affect anyone? None of us are
immune to developing CTS as roughly 1 out of 20 of us will develop CTS in our
lifetime! This month, let’s look at some of the risk factors for developing CTS.

1)  Race: Caucasians carry the greatest risk of developing CTS.
2)  Gender: Women are three times more likely than men to develop CTS. This may
be because female wrists are smaller and shaped a little differently than male
wrists, but hormonal differences are probably the most important reason for this
variance.
3)  Pregnancy: Up to 62% of pregnant women develop CTS. This is thought to be
due to the excess fluid retention that normally occurs during pregnancy and most
likely stems from the elevation in hormone levels that NORMALLY occurs during
pregnancy. The prevalence in the first, second, and third trimesters is 11%,
26%, and 63%, respectively, thus supporting the fact that the risk increases
with the length of the pregnancy. Though CTS usually resolves after giving
birth, symptoms can continue for as long as three years following delivery!
4)  Birth Control Pill (BCP): The use of BCPs increases CTS risk due to an
increase in hormonal levels similar to the CTS risk increase during pregnancy.
5)  Occupational: Workers in highly repetitive, hand-intensive occupations (such
as line work, sewing, finishing, meat processing, poultry or fish packing) have
a higher rate of developing CTS.
6)  Injury to the wrist or hand: An obvious example is a wrist fracture from a
slip and fall, sports injury, or blunt trauma like a car accident. When there is
a direct pinch on the median nerve, nerve damage can occur quite quickly, and as
a result, the onset of symptoms can be very fast. Less obvious injuries, which
usually have significantly slower onsets, include repetitive motion injuries,
often referred to as “cumulative trauma disorders” and include a group of
conditions such as tendonitis, sprain/strain, bursitis, and other types of soft
tissue injuries.
7)  Certain conditions: Nerve damaging conditions that can cause CTS include
diabetes and alcoholism. Other conditions that can contribute and/or cause CTS
include menopause, obesity, thyroid disorders, kidney failure, and more.
8)  Inflammatory conditions: These include several types of arthritis such as
rheumatoid, lupus, and others. Osteoarthritis is technically NOT an
“inflammatory” condition but it can cause CTS by compressing the median nerve
via a bone spur formed within the carpal tunnel.
9)  Faulty work stations: A job site has A LOT to do with whether or not a
person develops CTS. Though jobs that require fast, repetitive movements pose
the greatest risk (see #5 above), other work-related factors that may be
controllable can also significantly contribute to the development of CTS. Some
of these include the shape of tools such as screwdriver handles shaped like a
gun (pistol) which allow for better alignment of the wrist than a “normal”
straight screwdriver handle. Another is a power tool that may have too much
vibration or torques too hard at the end of a cycle. A handle that is too
cold/hard (e.g., metal handle) or that may be too large for the worker’s hand is
an additional factor to consider. Positioning the work so that the wrists can
stay straight vs. bent can be VERY helpful. In fact, if some of these
“ergonomic” factors are not fixed, CTS can be next to impossible to remedy.
Also, poor posture in the back, neck, and the rest of the body can result in
compensatory faulty postures elsewhere. Look in a mirror and poke your chin out
towards the mirror. Now look at your shoulders. See how they roll forward and
feel the strain in your upper back and neck? Keep your chin tucked in, NOT out.
This can make a BIG difference in your posture!
We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision
and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs. 
If you, a friend, or family member requires care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, we
would be honored to render our services.  Visit http://www.olsonchiropracticcenter.com
for more information.

CTS, Exercise, and Chiropractic | Yankton Chiropractor | Brian Olson, DC

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a condition characterized by numbness, tingling,
and/or pain located on the palm side of the wrist, hand and into the index,
third, and half of the ring finger. It’s caused by pressure exerted on the
median nerve as it passes through the “tunnel” located in the wrist. The “floor”
of the tunnel is a ligament while the “walls” are made up of eight small carpal
bones that lock together in the shape of a tunnel. There are nine tendons
(tendons attach muscles to bones allowing us to move our fingers), sheaths
covering the tendons, blood vessels, and the median nerve that ALL travel
through the tunnel, so it’s packed pretty tight. ANYTHING that increases the
size of any of these structures or anything “extra” that shouldn’t be there can
increase the pressure inside the tunnel, pinch the median nerve, and result in
the classic numb/tingling symptoms that wake people up at night, or interfere
with work or driving.

In the Unites States (US), about 1 out of 20 people will suffer from CTS.
Caucasians have the highest incidence rate and women are affected more than men
by a 3:1 ratio between ages of 45-60 years old. Only 10% of the reported cases
of CTS are under 30 years old. Occupational CTS (as of 2010) affects 8% of US
workers with 24% attributed to manufacturing industry jobs. This equates to
approximately 3.1 million cases of work-related CTS in 2010. The risk of
developing CTS increases with age, diabetes, hypothyroid, pregnancy, taking
birth control pills, having an inflammatory arthritis, being obese, pinched
nerves in the neck, thoracic outlet, elbow, and others. Therefore, managing CTS
requires a thorough evaluation in order to assure accuracy in the diagnosis.
With this background information, let’s look at the question, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO
HELP CTS? One answer is, don’t age – good luck with that! In addition to keeping
your weight under control, exercise can be VERY effective and YOU can be in
charge of that process, but we have to teach you the exercises.

1)  The Carpal Stretch (“nerve gliding”): Place your palm on the wall near
shoulder height with the fingers pointing down at the floor and press the palm
of the hand flat on the wall. Lastly, reach across with the opposite hand and
pull your thumb back off of the wall and hold for 5-15 seconds.
2)  The Wrist Extensor Stretch: Do the same as #1 but place the back of the hand
on the wall in front of you, again fingers pointing downward. Here, there is no
need to stretch the thumb.
3)  The “Bear Claw”: Make a fist and then open up the hand. Keep the small
finger joints flexed while extending the knuckles at the base of each finger
straight (not bent). Repeat 5-10x.
4)  Putty Squeeze: Simply squeeze putty in your hand for two to five minutes
until fatigued.
5)  Yoga has been shown to reduce pain and improve grip strength in CTS
patients!
Now the question, “…can these exercises prevent surgery?” The answer is “maybe.”
They certainly help in some cases, but a multi-dimensional treatment plan is the
BEST approach. This includes:  1) Chiropractic manipulation of the hand, wrist,
elbow, shoulder, and neck; 2) Soft tissue “release” techniques of the muscles in
the forearm, upper arm, shoulder, and neck; 3) Cock-up wrist splint to be used
at night, and in some cases, at times during the day; 4) Ergonomic management of
your work station or situation (to minimize repetitive insult to the area); 5)
Nutritional support that may include an anti-inflammatory diet and nutrients
(vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc.), and 6) Managing any contributing conditions
like diabetes, hypothyroid, and/or the others. Here’s the GOOD NEWS:
CHIROPRACTIC can manage these six steps, though some cases will require
co-management with primary care and/or specialist.

We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision
and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.
If you, a friend, or family member requires care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, we
would be honored to render our services.  Visit www.olsonchiropracticcenter.com for more information.