Wrist Pain, Is It Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Every Time?

Wrist pain can be a real nuisance, it can keep you awake at night and disrupt your life. It is important to know the difference between wrist pain that comes from conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and other types of wrist pain, because they are treated differently.

For individuals experiencing pain in their fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome is the first thing that comes to mind. After all, it's a common condition causing issues in your hands and wrists. 

However, general pain on the wrists doesn't always mean you have carpal tunnel syndrome. That's why it helps to know what to look for to help you get the right care, as early treatment can make a difference in how long you'll endure the pain. 

Here's what you need to know about wrist pain, including how to tell it's carpal tunnel syndrome and what other conditions may be causing wrist pain. 

How to Tell It's Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common ailment that affects the hands of about 3% of the US population, according to several published studies. It is characterized by pain, numbness and tingling in the wrist area and can be caused by repetitive activities. 

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that results from the compression of the median nerve. It can cause mild to severe discomfort or pain in your wrist and hand, but it may also affect other parts of your body, like your arms or legs. 

While there is no cure for carpal tunnel syndrome, it is possible to lessen symptoms through various types of treatments such as medication or surgery. Doctors typically recommend rest if patients are suffering from mild cases; however, most people have to work during regular business hours so they need other methods to help them cope with this condition

 Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful condition that damages the nerve system of the hand. It can cause numbness, tingling, and pain in your thumb and each finger on both hands. We will discuss what are some symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome so you can better understand it.

Often, these symptoms begin at night since most individuals sleep with their wrists bent, adding pressure on the median nerve, inflicting pain. Initially, carpal tunnel symptoms come and go, but they become more frequent over time.

Besides tingles and numbness on your wrists, here are more symptoms that distinguish carpal tunnel syndrome from other causes of wrist pain. 

The symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include  tingling in the fingers or toes (paresthesia)

a shocking sensation when you touch something with your hand numbness in the fingers or toes, difficulty moving your thumb up and down and side to side (thumb flexion), decreased feeling in the palm of the hand/fingers (hypoesthesia) and increased pressure at night when sleeping on it.

• Pseudo-swollen fingers, often called "watery fingers" or "spider fingers", are a common occurrence in people who have diabetes. People with diabetes may experience extreme swelling of the small blood vessels in their extremities up to four times normal size. This condition is known as pseudo-swollen fingers and can happen when your body has high levels of glucose (sugar) that cannot be properly absorbed into your cells.

• Shoulder Pain - Carpal tunnel syndrome can bring pain from your wrists up to your forearm and shoulders.

The condition, carpal tunnel syndrome, brings a lot of discomfort to the wrist area. The median nerve that travels through this region can become compressed when it is pressed against by nearby tissues, which then causes tingling or numbness in the fingers but also contributes to more serious problems like chronic pain in other regions and swelling of some joints. Shoulder pain may be one indication that you are experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome because one symptom of this condition is compression on the nerves passing through to these important regions.

• Shocks - You may feel small electric-like "shocks" that come and go in your thumb and fingers. It is common to feel like you're getting a tiny shock when touching an object after being discharged from electricity.

A lot of people think they get these small shocks because their nerves are still active, but this isn't the case at all. Electricity travels through the body in paths called neurons, which carry messages between different parts of your brain or body. Nerves don't do this, so it stands to reason that once they've been disconnected by a TENS unit for example, they will stop sending messages home with every touch.

Other Conditions Causing Wrist Pain 

Wrist pain can be caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, but not always. Several medical conditions can cause wrist discomfort, tingling and numbness. In fact, several medical conditions can cause general discomfort, tingling, and numbness on one's wrists. 

The most common ones include the following: 

• de Quervain tenosynovitis - This medical condition causes problems with the tendons responsible for controlling your thumb, causing general wrist pain. 
• Arthritis is a condition that makes it difficult to perform everyday tasks. The inflammation of the joints causes severe and debilitating pain in the affected area, which includes wrists.
• Ligament Damage - The ligaments are connective tissues surrounding joints, and when these get damaged, it can cause incapacitating pain. 

How Does A Chiropractor Help With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that results in numbness, tingling, and pain in the fingers. It can also cause weakness in your grip and difficulty performing fine movements. This often occurs when there is compression of a nerve at its point where it leaves the spinal column and travels to an extremity. 

Those who are affected by carpal tunnel syndrome have trouble moving their hands around because they experience pain or discomfort when doing so. Carpal tunnel syndrome happens more frequently with people who do repetitive tasks, such as typing on computers or using tools for work.

. Doctors usually recommend surgery for carpal tunnel symptoms but it has no guarantee of improving nerve conduction velocity. Chiropractic treatment has been found to be more effective at treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome than traditional medical methods like corticosteroid injections, and physical therapy with ultrasound.

 For many people, the pain comes on gradually over time. But for others, such as those who are pregnant or overweight, carpal tunnel symptoms can occur suddenly. A new study has found that chiropractors may be able to help patients with this problem get better faster than traditional treatments alone.

Conclusion

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition affecting the median nerve, which runs through an opening (or tunnel) in your wrist. This nerve provides sensation to parts of your hand and fingers. Over time, you may experience pain, numbness or weakness in these areas if it becomes inflamed or pinched from repetitive movements throughout the day.

If your pain doesn't get better in a week or two, it's time to seek professional healthcare, specifically from an orthopedic physician. They may recommend getting surgery or chiropractic treatment if your case isn't as severe. It's best to seek help when the symptoms become unbearable immediately to prevent suffering from permanent loss of function.