Let's Ask Dr. Timothy Harcourt Of Coast Chiropractic Centers About Hand Pain and Its Causes
Nov 9, 2021 -- Posted by :When hand pain strikes, it can be a difficult problem to deal with since we use our hands for so much. It can also be distressing psychologically to have a part of your body not working as it should.
Hand pain can be tough to diagnose since there are many causes. One familiar cause is a carpal tunnel syndrome. This is where the boney tunnel in the wrist is narrowed, entrapping the nerves that pass through and go into the hand.
Another cause for hand pain is a thoracic outlet syndrome. The thoracic outlet can be compressed in the shoulder girdle region causing hand pain, often at night.
The last thing to consider with hand pain is a neck problem such as a disk lesion that compresses the nerves in the neck causing referred or radicular (nerve root) pain into the hand.
These three problems can independently cause hand pain or they can all co-exist to varying degrees. Getting a proper diagnosis is the first key to a full correction of a problem. If your hand pain is being treated with analgesics (pain killers), there may be a reduction in pain sensations but pain medications cannot release an entrapped nerve. You might also want to consider that pain is a signal. The problem that is causing the pain should be the patient’s focus. When the fire alarm goes off at home, do we think to put out the fire alarm, or put out the fire? Pain is the fire alarm, not the fire.
A 2008 study found that differentiating between these three unique disorders with clinical tests can be problematic, since false positive tests are more a rule, rather than an exception. Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were one of the most frequently misdiagnosed groups of patients.
You may also need x-rays of your spine to fully get at the cause of your hand pain and determine the best course of action. Chiropractic is an often-overlooked conservative form of care. It carries very low risks, and should be a considered option for anyone who is considering bracing, medications, or wrist surgery.
So, if you are experiencing pain in my wrist (yours), numbness or paresthesia, hand weakness, and carpal tunnel symptoms and you type in pain management near me, you may find Coast Chiropractic Centers with Dr. Timothy Harcourt, me, comes up.
You may wonder, “Do I need an MRI scan of my neck or wrist.”?
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
You may have a “funny feeling like a numbness frequently called paresthesia. Even a handshake may be painful or weak. Some people have prescribed chemicals that may temporarily reduce the numbness but not fixing the problem. The numbing in the fingers can be annoying and even debilitating.
Also, if you feel arm pain it may indicate things are getting worse and may indicate a bulge on the disc or worse yet a herniated disc in your neck. Persistent or worsening pain intensity and/or frequency necessitates a visit to see a professional.
Call me, Dr. Tim Harcourt, at (239) 278-3344 and mention this article for an awesome discounted first visit to include history, exam, and adjustment or Class IV high-intensity laser treatment.