Dr. Holland sees a lot of people troubled with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Downtown St. Louis, MO chiropractic practice. While some people think that the source 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 printed in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy evaluated 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 discovered that the women had less cervical mobility when compared to a healthy control group.
Furthermore, they also observed that the level of the women's reported carpal tunnel pain was related to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In other words, the less range of motion in the neck, the higher the level of pain.
This research is extremely important, as you cannot effectively resolve a condition until you fully understand its cause. By recognizing that the root of carpal tunnel issues is in the neck, this means that all-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 Downtown St. Louis, MO location and ask how Dr. 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.