Premier Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment in Austin, Texas
Do you experience numbness, burning, or tingling in your fingers?
Do you ever start to make a hand movement only to be assaulted by a sharp, stabbing pain slicing through your wrist and arm?
If so, you probably have carpal tunnel syndrome, a common condition shared by millions of people.
While carpal tunnel isn’t necessarily life-threatening, the debilitating pain can affect your career, hobbies, sports, and even everyday activities like driving. Which in turn can lead to depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem.
You may have heard that surgery is the only long term option - but with our help, you may reduce or even eliminate your pain and get back to doing what you love - without surgery!
How Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Develops
The median nerve along with some ligaments and tendons runs through a bony space in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. This is the key nerve that controls movement in the wrist and hand, including the thumb and the first three fingers (a different nerve controls the little finger). The median nerve extends from your fingers, up the wrist and arm and into the neck and spine. When that nerve is compressed, it becomes irritated, creating pain, weakness, and other annoying symptoms in the hand, wrist, or radiating up the arm.
There are a number of reasons pressure may be applied to the median nerve. Certain health conditions such as a pinched nerve, pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, hypothyroidism, and diabetes may be at fault. Wrist injuries and bone spurs often contribute to the pressure and because smoking diminishes blood flow to the median nerve it may also play a role.
Another cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is repetitive strain injuries (RSI), caused by repetitive movements of the hand and wrists. People who work on assembly lines, computer operators, drivers, and painters are examples of those commonly affected by RSI.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is Progressive
The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome often begin gradually. You may first notice them at night or when you get up in the morning, feeling a need to shake the hand like it’s ‘asleep’. As the condition worsens, tingling, numbness, and pain may develop and your hand may feel cold. You may begin having trouble making a fist or grasping an item and dexterity diminishes. The pain may extend into the forearm.
If left untreated carpal tunnel can create serious problems. It may affect your ability to do your job effectively, to enjoy activities such as sewing or gardening, you may drop things more frequently, or it could even cause permanent damage.
Surgery is NOT the Only (or Even the Best) Option for Eliminating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Each year more than 200,000 people opt for surgery to eliminate carpal tunnel syndrome. Many experts feel that a lot of of those cases could be resolved with more conservative, nonsurgical treatment like the ones you’ll find at Active Life Chiropractic Clinic.
Treatment options at Active Life Chiropractic Clinic include:
- Gentle Chiropractic care (remember, the median nerve travels to the spine) and through the wrist. Frequently the carpal bones in the wrist need to be realigned to free up the median nerve. This is an aspect of carpal tunnel syndrome that is frequently overlooked in other medical disciplines.
- The Graston Technique®, a type of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization We use Graston to reduce adhesions in the fascia, tendon and ligaments of the entire forearm to release any restrictions affecting the median nerve.
- Cold laser therapy, a safe and painless noninvasive treatment Cold Laser helps to reduce pain and inflammation.
The Healing Power of Graston for Carpal Tunnel Pain
Dr. Schade is her own testimonial for the effectiveness of Graston on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Back in the mid 90’s she started showing symptoms of carpal tunnel, and went to see a neurologist that specialized in CTS (as she knew nothing of the Graston Technique at the time). The neurologist confirmed her CTS with a nerve function test, and told her to wear braces and come back when the pain was bad enough that she wanted surgery.
But surgery was the last thing Dr. Schade wanted. Luckily, her associate at the time told her about the healing power of Graston - and Dr. Schade just HAD to know more about it. She hustled herself over to the next Graston seminar where she got her first treatment - and had immediate positive results. She went on to become certified in the Graston Technique and has been grateful ever since. And her symptoms have never returned.
In fact, Dr. Schade went BACK to the neurologist who did another NCV and confirmed that nerve function had returned to normal. The neurologist then suggested she get a cortisone shot anyway to prevent reoccurence. Dr. Schade did NOT get the cortisone shot and still her symptoms have never returned. She then realized that the only treatment most people are offered for CTS is braces, cortisone shots, or surgery. So she’s now made it her mission to educate the people of Austin to let them know of the powerful healing Graston Technique as a happy alternative to previous “popular” pain management/relief choices out there for a vast array of soft tissue-related injuries including plantar fasciitis, shoulder and knee injuries, sports injuries, CTS, and much more.
Experience Powerful Relief at Active Life
If you’re suffering from the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, your quality of life is being affected. Don’t continue to endure pain and discomfort. Discover Active Life’s drug-free nonsurgical methods of relief and eliminate carpal tunnel syndrome. Our team of skilled doctors and therapists has successfully helped thousands of people in the Austin area find relief. Are you next?
Call Active Life Chiropractic Clinic today at (512) 474-5433 and wave goodbye to carpal tunnel syndrome.