Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the compression of a nerve in the median of the wrist that produces numbness, tingling, and sometimes pain.

Symptoms
Weakness and tingling in the first three fingers, thumb, and the palm surface of the hands can also occur. Pain, burning, and/or tingling sensations can also manifest along the entire arm, neck, hips, and thigh. Carpal tunnel can occur in one of both wrists, and in some cases gripping strength and the ability to pick up and hold objects can be significantly impaired.

Cause
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is most common in women 35 and older. Conditions that can create swelling or fluid shifts that contribute to pressure on the wrist nerve, such as pregnancy; low thyroid functions; occupations that require forceful or repetitive wrist movements; vitamin B6 deficiencies (monoamine oxidase inhibitor anti-depressant drugs can create a deficiency in vitamin B6 and should be avoided if possible); nerve disorders; compression of the nerve root of the sixth cervical vertebra due to misalignment of the neck; muscular spasm; osteoarthritis; disk disease; or tumor can all cause or contribute to the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, and therefore must be ruled out or properly addressed before lasting improvement can be achieved. Carpal tunnel syndrome may also be secondary to other wrist conditions, such as sprains.

Carpal tunnel is often a misdiagnosis of thoracic outlet compression syndrome, in which pressure to the lower cervical and upper thoracic nerves results in dysfunction of the tissues and nerves associated with the brachial nerves. If this is the case, then treatment should focus on resolving the thoracic outlet compression first.

Many cases of carpal tunnel syndrome can also be traced to interference fields on the arm, shoulders, or neck, and are often caused by vaccination scars.



Treatment