An estimated one in 10 Americans will develop carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) – a numbing condition that can become permanently debilitating. According to government reports, 23,000 workers become debilitated with this condition every year that includes meat cutters, data processors, cashiers, assembly-line workers, pneumatic-hammer workers, and truck drivers. In fact, any activity, from knitting to jack hammering, can cause CTS. A simple flick of the wrist is all it takes to do so many different everyday tasks. But, for those who suffer from CTS, the simplest wrist-twisting motion can trigger a burning pain.
CTS occurs when the tendons, bones, or ligaments in the wrist press against the median nerve, short-circuiting it. Normally, the bones and ligaments form a protective sheath, or “tunnel,” around the nerve and tendons. The median nerve is the major pathway for nerve impulses extending from the spinal cord, down the arm through the wrist and palm and into the fingers. It supplies most of the sensation to the hand as well as most of the muscle power to the thumb.
The median nerve is like a soft rubber pipe, with neurotransmitters flowing down the pipe and an electrical current traveling on the surface. As long as the flow is smooth and unhampered, the hands and fingers work fine. But obstruct the flow repeatedly and you will begin to experience a number of annoying physical discomforts: intermittent numbness, pain, weakness, and a tingling or “pins-and-needles” sensation in the thumb, index finger and middle finger. Curiously these symptoms tend to be noticeable at night.
For more information or to schedule a free consultation, please contact Chace R. Unruh, D.C. at 661-288-0022 and visit www.unruhchiropractic.com. Unruh Chiropractic, Inc. is located at 23206 Lyons Avenue, Suite 110 in Santa Clarita.