Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that compresses the large nerve of the hand, known as the median nerve, causing everything from pain and tingling to numbness and weakness in the hand and arm. Without the proper treatment, this condition can get worse, making it difficult to perform even the simplest tasks. If the problem isn’t addressed and properly treated, permanent nerve damage can occur.

In the beginning, you may notice wrist pain that appears gradually and comes and goes. Most people don’t think much of their symptoms when they are only minor; however, if left untreated carpal tunnel syndrome will worsen, causing more severe and persistent symptoms. You may also notice symptoms getting worse at night.

While prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers may help to temporarily alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome pain, it won’t be able to treat the underlying issue. This is where an osteopath comes in. An osteopath may be the perfect addition to your medical team, as they can help provide thorough treatment and support without turning to surgery. If you are contemplating surgery to treat your carpal tunnel syndrome, talk to an osteopath first about non-surgical treatment options that might work for you.

An osteopath is a physician that focuses not just on the localized area that is causing you problems but also on improving how your body functions as a whole. After all, when one thing is awry within the body it can affect how other areas function, as well. Furthermore, certain systems within the body (e.g. circulatory system) can also be affected.

Through a variety of adjustments, myofascial release and other manipulative techniques, an osteopath can improve the muscles, spine, tissue and bones in your body while also improving the health of your nervous, lymphatic and circulatory systems. These manual techniques that our osteopath will perform on your wrist and hand will help take pressure off of the median nerve while improving functionality and range-of-motion, reducing swelling and strengthening muscles. By improving circulation and blood flow to these areas, we can improve how the median nerve functions.

While some patients may experience relief after just one session with an osteopath, it usually takes several sessions before you see results. Certain factors, including the severity of your carpal tunnel syndrome will play a role in how quickly you see results. Even once the symptoms have dissipated you should still visit your osteopath for routine manipulative treatment to prevent a recurrence of symptoms.

 

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