What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel syndrome is a condition where pressure is put on the median nerve in the wrist causing numbness, tingling, weakness and can lead to muscle damage in the hands. The median nerve controls the movements in the thumb side of the hand (controlling most of the palm, the thumb, index, middle and part of the ring finger). The carpal tunnel is the area of the wrist where the median nerve enters the hand, when this narrow area has swelling the nerve is pinched causing carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel is associated with injuries to the wrist, pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis, work stress, or overactivity of the pituitary gland. The risk for a women to develop carpal tunnel is three times as likely as men and is most prominent in people who do assembly line type work. 

Carpal tunnel syndrome is often misdiagnosed...
This condition is also misdiagnosed fairly often confusing other conditions such as pronator teres syndrome, supinator syndrome, and brachial plexus injuries. 

Pronator Teres Syndrome

• Pronator teres syndrome is when the median nerve becomes entrapped between the two heads of the pronator teres muscle. The symptoms for this condition are very similar to carpal tunnel syndrome, however with pronation (turning palm face down) will often cause pain with this condition. Like carpal tunnel it is more likely to affect women than men and results from repetitive forearm pronation.

Another carpal tunnel imposter is a condition known as supinator syndrome 

• Supinator syndrome is an impingement of the posterior interosseous branch of the radial nerve. This nerve passes through the supinator muscle of the forearm, and when compressed causes pain and tenderness like that of carpal tunnel syndrome. 

  • The difference supinator syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome is that the symptoms of supinator syndrome are on the dorsal side (backside) of the hand, effecting the radial nerve. Carpal tunnel symptoms are on the palm side effecting the median nerve. Supination or turning your palm up has increased pain on the backside of the hand with this condition. 

• Brachial plexus injury is a general term for an injury to the nerves that controls the muscles of the fingers, hands, and arms. These are sometimes known as “stingers” or “burners” if they occur during a sporting event. These types of injuries include tearing, stretching or pressure put on the nerves that are located between C4 and T1 of the spinal cord. 
  
  

We treat each one of these conditions with great outcomes from our patients.  If you have questions about any of these conditions please call our Bozeman Chiropractor at Gallatin Valley Chiropractic at (406) 551-2177. 

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