When Is a Pain In Your Wrist Not a Problem in Your Wrist?

Sometimes what seems painfully obvious is not actually correct. Take a pain in your wrist. The problem must be in your wrist, right?

Not always. There can be nerve interference elsewhere that is causing or adding to that pain.

Carpal Tunnel

Let’s look at carpal tunnel syndrome. Feel along the back of your wrist for the carpals, those eight small bones grouped in two rows. Held together with ligaments, they form a “tunnel” or passageway for your median nerve. When swelling narrows the tunnel, the nerve gets compressed and causes pain, tingling and more.

But pain, numbness or tingling in the wrist also can be caused by nerve interference elsewhere, a phenomenon called the “double crush.” In this scenario, the median and other nerves running through the wrist are being compressed but the compression sites might also be in the spine, shoulder, neck or elbow.

Can Chiropractic Help?

Resolving carpal tunnel problems requires looking beyond the wrist. A thorough chiropractic examination of the upper spine, shoulder and elbow can help determine the origins of your problems.

Try these simple self-tests to check if your wrist pain has neurological involvement. If your findings suggest further evaluation, give us a call to schedule a more thorough examination.