Carpal Tunnel

There are a number of causes for carpal tunnel syndrome and we treat two of them. The carpal tunnel is made up of eight small bones in the wrist that form a "C" shape, and a ligament that closes the tunnel. If one of the bones moves from its normal position it can cause the tunnel to close, compressing the nerves that pass through it. Most of the time we can adjust the small bones, opening the tunnel and relieving the pressure on the nerves. If not treated, arthritis can form, leaving surgery (cutting of the ligament to make more room in the "tunnel") as the only option. Many cases of carpal tunnel also have a component of nerve aggravation at the neck as well as the wrist (double crush). In cases of wrist pain, we always examine the neck to make sure that the full scope of the problem is identified and treated.