Carpal tunnel syndrome is a wrist condition where the space that the median nerve travels in, from your forearm to your wrist, becomes compressed or irritated. This can cause numbness and tingling in the hand, as well as other sensations such as weakness and pain.

Image courtesy of https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/

What causes it?

The most common causes of carpal tunnel syndrome are:

More common in women due to a smaller tunnel
Overuse or repetitive movements of the hand and/or the wrist
Degenerative changes that occur with ageing
Trauma
Some chronic illnesses such as Diabetes
Inflammatory conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis
Obesity
Fluid retention such as during pregnancy, or can be due to some medication
or even a mixture of two or more of these

How can an Osteopath help?

Your Osteopath will do a thorough examination to confirm a carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis. We will also assess other regions like your arm, shoulder and neck as these may be may be contributing to your injury.

Once a diagnosis of carpal tunnel is given, your osteopath may provide some manual, hands on therapy. This will aim to increase range of motion that may be restricted or painful, as well as assist to decrease any pain or weakness you may be experiencing.

As osteopaths, we may also assess lifestyle factors such as desk postures and other activities of daily living, to then find realistic changes that you can implement to make life easier whilst minimising pain and discomfort.

Other measures your Osteopath may implement could be:

Fitting a brace
Prescribing exercises and stretches
Provide education so you are fully informed and knowledgable about your condition.
If necessary, we may send for imaging or refer you to another health professional if we believe other interventions such as surgery, or more specific nerve conduction testing may be required.

What else can I do?

Simple interventions to discuss with your Osteopath that may help manage carpal tunnel syndrome are:

Rest or reducing use
Frequent breaks in wrist related activities
Using heat or ice
Braces
Exercises/stretches
Activity modification
Use of different equipment (Ergonomic computer mouse etc)

The most important thing to know is that carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition, and there are a number of solutions to help manage or resolve your complaint. It is best to consult your osteopath before implementing any intervention to ensure what you are doing is both safe, effective and specifically for you as an individual.

If you or someone you know is struggling with carpal tunnel or any other upper limb complaint, please feel free to email me with any questions (jayden@pakenhamosteopathy.com.au) or contact us at the clinic on 5941-4157, or you can book online here.