Dr. Poelking sees a lot of people struggling with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Kettering chiropractic practice. 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 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 found that the patients had reduced cervical mobility when compared to a healthy control group.
In addition, it was also observed that the degree of the women's reported carpal tunnel pain was related to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In other words, the less mobility in the neck, the higher the level of pain.
This study is extremely important, as you can't successfully treat a condition until you fully understand its cause. By understanding that the root of carpal tunnel symptoms is in the neck, this means that natural approaches such as chiropractic can often restore normal function, eliminating the need for risky operations.
If you have carpal tunnel pain, call our Kettering office and ask how Dr. Poelking 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.
Dr. Poelking
For over 20 years, Poelking Chiropractic has been treating patients in the Dayton Ohio area (Kettering, Centerville, Oakwood, Beavercreek, Belmont, Fairborn, Springboro...). Through chiropractic care and other non-invasive methods, we provide effective relief for those suffering from disc bulges/protrusions/herniations, degenerative disc disease, stenosis, sciatica, arthritis, whiplash and other causes of neck and low back pain.