Our modern culture requires us to perform intricate motions with our hands and wrists. Typing on a computer keyboard, using a mouse, texting, holding a cell phone, playing video games, playing sports. These activities all use specific motions and are hindered by wrist and hand pain. Unfortunately, they can also cause wrist and hand pain.

When many people feel wrist pain for the first time, they often assume that they have carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is an archway of bones that allow nerves, blood vessels, and tendons to travel from the forearm into the hand. If the archway begins to collapse, or if the wrist sustains constant pressure, the nerves and blood vessels can become compromised. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, therefore, usually involve the hand as well as the wrist.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as other wrist/hand conditions, can be caused by repetitive motions or forcing the hands to rest in unnatural positions for a length of time. Using a computer mouse, typing, and placing your hands on a steering wheel are very common causes of wrist and hand pain. It may take years for the pain to develop, but the good news is that anti-inflammatory measures and ergonomic modification may help in many cases.

The constantly-used joints of the wrist and hand are also especially susceptible to osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. These two types of arthritis have similar symptoms, but are otherwise unrelated and require different forms of management.

The nerves that supply the arm, wrist, and hand exit the spinal cord in the neck, and then travel a long way across the shoulder and elbow joints. Chiropractors have clinically seen that neck dysfunction can impact, or even help to cause, symptoms in the arms. Disc problems in the neck can impact nerve roots exiting the spinal cord, causing burning pain in the arm. These long nerves can also be impacted in multiple places, a condition called double crush syndrome, although it is unclear if double crush syndrome can produce carpal tunnel syndrome. A proper examination of your wrist and hand problems ought to include an examination of your neck and shoulder as well.

How We Can Help Your Wrist and Hand Pain

In a clinical trial, chiropractic care was determined to be as effective as conservative medical care for carpal tunnel syndrome. The chiropractic adjustment is key to reestablishing the proper relationships of upper extremity joints, restoring proper nervous system function as seen in this study on cubital tunnel syndrome patients.

Doctors recognize that it is appropriate to use gentle care when treating the wrist and hands, which are quite delicate and sensitive, especially in older adults and children. The Activator instrument is often recommended for wrist adjustments because of its low force and precision of direction. At Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria, Dr. Kyle Johnson exclusively uses the Activator Methods when treating wrist complaints.

After a thorough history and examination, Dr. Johnson will also recommend proper alternative treatments for you, such as ergonomic modifications, anti-inflammatory diets, ice, traction, braces, exercises, stretches, Vitamin B6 supplementation, ultrasound therapy, and more.

Causes

- carpal tunnel syndrome
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)
- sprain/strain
- scaphoid bone fracture
- avascular necrosis of the scaphoid
- trigger points
- Guyon's Tunnel Syndrome
- deQuervain's Tenosynovitis
- Intersection Syndrome
- trigger finger
- pronator teres syndrome
- radial tunnel syndrome
- cubital tunnel syndrome
- Saturday Night Palsy
- T4 syndrome
- fibromyalgia
- Reynaud's Disease
- peripheral neuropathies
- ganglion cyst
- diabetes
- metabolic disorders
- fracture