How PT Can Combat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What Exactly Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?    

Because carpal tunnel syndrome is relatively common, most of us have a vague idea of what it entails: mainly that it involves the hands, fingers, and wrists and that it’s associated with certain jobs (like computer work).

These two things are true but don’t provide the complete picture. Carpal tunnel syndrome gets its name from the carpal tunnel, a structure of bones, ligaments, and tendons that runs from your wrist into your hands. It serves as a passageway for the median nerve, one of the major nerves in your upper extremities.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve becomes trapped in the carpal tunnel, leading to the many symptoms we associate with the condition:

• Weakened grip
• Pain or numbness in the hand
• Numbness, burning, or tingling in your fingers
• Swelling in your fingers
• Pain or numbness that increases at night

These symptoms usually develop gradually. At first, you may only experience them at night. But if you leave the condition untreated, you’ll begin experiencing symptoms during the day, especially after small hand movements (as Candace experienced).

Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with Physical Therapy

If your carpal tunnel syndrome is still in the early stages, we’ve got good news: physical therapy alone may be enough to manage your symptoms! Experts recommend addressing carpal tunnel syndrome with conservative methods before opting for surgery–an approach that can save you money in the long run.

Here’s what we’ll do:

• Offer drug-free pain management: We can show you different options for managing hand pain, such as deep tissue laser or dry-needling.
• Develop strategies to manage your symptoms: Many people develop carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive hand motions, often at their job. Adjusting your posture, using proper equipment, and taking frequent breaks during the day can all help slow the condition’s progression.
• Prescribe therapeutic exercises: Targeted finger and hand stretching exercises can help improve mobility, while strengthening exercises can help decrease symptoms.
• Provide a night splint: Splinting immobilizes your wrist at night, reducing discomfort so you can get a full night’s sleep. 

Often, these techniques are enough to minimize symptoms so that you don’t need to bother with surgery at all. Unfortunately, sometimes surgery is necessary to fully manage carpal tunnel syndrome, especially if you didn’t start treatment early enough.

The good news is carpal tunnel release surgery is a relatively minor outpatient surgery. However, it will still require rehabilitation afterward, and our team can guide you through the process. We’ll help reduce scar tissue and restore strength to your wrist so you can enjoy the benefits of your procedure.