Do you have carpal tunnel pain?

The hand is more than the wrist

Carpal tunnel is a name for a pattern: the median nerve is irritated, and the hand pays for it. The crowded spot can be the wrist. It can also be farther up the arm, or in the neck. Without a look at those parts, it is hard to say which one is yours. This is a guide to what we see. A visit is how we tell.

Pain, tingling, and a grip that fades

People describe burning, tingling, or numbness in the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half of the ring finger. The hand can feel swollen when it looks normal. A night of shaking the hand awake, or a day where a mug or a pen gets hard to hold, is a common story. The little finger is often spared. That detail matters, because a different nerve has a different pattern.

The wrist

The median nerve passes through a small tunnel at the wrist, with the tendons that bend the fingers. Swelling, a lot of repeated gripping, or an old wrist injury can crowd that space. A brace can quiet it for a while. If the quiet keeps getting shorter, the wrist may be only part of the picture.

When it starts in the neck

The same nerve starts in the neck. A structural pattern there can send symptoms into the hand even when the wrist looks like the obvious place. Desk posture does this often. Neck pain that travels into the arm is covered on the neck pain page. Other pain in the arm or the leg is covered on the arm and leg pain page.

Work, tools, and a long drive

Repetitive hand work, vibrating tools, and hours on a keyboard or a steering wheel are common reasons people finally call. The job of the exam is to see whether the wrist, the neck, or both are feeding it, so care is aimed at the right place.

When it needs a different doctor

A hand that is suddenly weak after an injury, chest pain with pain in the arm, or symptoms that come with a fever or a very swollen joint need a medical doctor now. Thyroid trouble, pregnancy, and other medical conditions can also crowd the nerve. Those need to be sorted out, not guessed at. The exam is how we tell whether chiropractic care is the right next step.

Measured, then tracked

A thorough exam lets us see what is going on. We take objective measures of structure and function, including on-site X-rays, and we use those measures to track progress. The exam covers a wide set of metrics, so plan 90 to 120 minutes for the initial visit.

Peter Lenhart, Director of Rehab, helps patients improve structure and function with specialized exercises and angular tractions. More on the approach is on the CBP page.

I went to Dr. Eberle because I was experiencing intense neck and shoulder pain from sitting at a desk all day. He made me feel comfortable right away. First he took several X-rays of my spine to get a better understanding of my natural posture, and after several adjustments the pain was gone! I would definitely recommend Dr. Eberle. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and affordable!Megan

Questions about carpal tunnel