Nerve compression syndromes cause symptoms including pain, numbness, and weakness. Nerves can become pinched for a variety of reasons. Most people are familiar with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome condition where the median nerve is pinched in the wrist. Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is a similar problem affecting nerves in the elbow.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disease of the hand characterized by numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness. The disease typically affects the thumb, index, and middle fingers and is often particularly troublesome at night. A major nerve, specifically the median nerve, travels down the arm and enters the hand through the carpal tunnel, which is located in the central part of the wrist. In people with carpal tunnel syndrome, pressure in the carpal tunnel is higher than in unaffected people, and median nerve irritation occurs.
Many conditions can cause increased pressure within the carpal tunnel and lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This condition was first described with broken wrists. A broken wrist can cause bleeding and swelling within the carpal tunnel leading to increased pressure within the carpal tunnel. Most people with carpal tunnel syndrome have no identifiable cause. It affects almost 5% of the population and is most common in middle-aged women. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is diagnosed based on the complaints of the individual combined with physical tests. No single test is definitive for diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Most of my carpal tunnel syndrome clients are found to have structural problems in their posture and body usage that contribute to the pain and irritation in their hands, affecting their work and the activities they can participate in.
Through NFR treatments, reducing the muscle tension in the body, and correcting their posture – thus taking the tension off the nerves – many if not all of my carpal tunnel syndrome clients report increased range of motion; reduced spasticity; reduced numbness, burning and tingling; and reduced, or completely eliminated, pain.