Can Carpal Tunnel Pain Radiate To Shoulder And Neck

Can Carpal Tunnel Pain Radiate To Shoulder And Neck

Can Carpal Tunnel Pain Radiate To Shoulder And Neck

Reported Dangers Of Cts Surgery

Neck, Shoulder & Carpal Tunnel Pain From This One Thing, How to Stop it

The reported dangers of CTS surgery include bleeding, infection, and nerve injury. Some pain, swelling, and stiffness can be expected. Minor soreness in the palm is common for several months after surgery. Severe problems are rare. You may be instructed to elevate your hand and move your fingers after surgery. This helps minimize swelling and stiffness.

Most patients see their symptoms improve after surgery, but recovery may be gradual. On average, grip and pinch strength generally return by about 2 months after surgery. Complete recovery may take up to a year. If significant pain and weakness continue for more than 2 months, your physician may instruct you to work with a hand therapist. If carpal tunnel syndrome has been present longer and the nerve is more severely affected before treatment is attempted, recovery is slower and less complete.

It is reported that corticosteriods injections usually bring only temporary relief and can contribute to tendon rupture. Are there risks from chiropractic treatment? It must be acknowledged that no treatment exists that is not without some element of risk. There is no treatment of the upper cervical spine, where most potential complications may occur.

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• • Chiropractic Conditions is a central page at Chiropractic Help. It provides you simply and easily with the sorts of conditions that the average chiropractor would be treating.

  Anatomy Of The Upper Back And Middle Back

  Your upper and middle back starts from just below your neck and extends to about 5 inches below your shoulder blades.

  Your thoracic spine gives your upper body strength and stability and helps you lift heavy objects. Your rib cage also protects many vital organs like your heart, kidneys, and lungs. According to Dr. William Blahd on WebMD, vertebrae in your middle back attach to your ribs which wrap around to your chest and are attached to your sternum.1

  You have discs in between the vertebrae in your spine to absorb shocks and prevent the bones rubbing together. Also, many muscles between your ribs called intercostal muscles provide strength to your upper body and assist in breathing. There are also many nerve fibers that are attached to your spinal column.

  An injury to the ligaments, ribs, nerves, or muscles in your middle back can affect your back and also radiate to other areas of your body. For example, back rib damage could also cause pain that wraps around your ribs to the front of your chest and breastbone. Or, the pain may radiate to your shoulder blade, neck, or even abdomen.

  What If I Have Surgery

  While surgery is an option for carpal tunnel syndrome, most physical therapists do not recommend it; however, there are some instances in which a medical professional will deem surgery necessary. If this ends up being the case, you will likely be referred to us; following your surgery for rehabilitation therapy. Then, there are very rare cases where we may refer you for surgical consultation.

  If surgery is performed, you will have a post-operative physical therapy treatment regimen that includes one or all of the following:

  • First, you will be encouraged to participate in exercises that are designed to improve the overall strength of the muscles located in the hand and in the wrist area. As the strength of the muscles in this area improves, the functionality of the muscles will also improve.
  • Your physical therapist will encourage you to do carpal tunnel exercises that stretch out the muscles. This aids in optimizing the overall mobility associated with the area, which in turn improves function.
  • All surgeries result in some degree of skin scarring. Once you complete the carpal tunnel surgery, you will quickly discover that the skin develops a mark. Carpal tunnel physical therapy includes scar management. This aids in ensuring that the skin remains flexible and is considered to be supple.
  • You will be provided with information regarding how to properly position the wrist and the right posture. This will help in reducing compression and issues, such as shoulder pain.

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  What Does That Mean

  Radiculopathy refers to the radiating of pain out from its original source, even though there may not be any pain at the source location.

  In other words, if you have a herniated disc in the neck, you will not necessarily have neck pain.

  A herniated disc is actually a bulging disc. The bulging presses on nerves.

  This may make the nerves more excitable or irritable, and more sensitive to damage elsewhere, such as at the wrist in the carpal tunnel, says Dr. Rue.

  In this case, it is often necessary to treat both sites of involvement in order to get full relief from the nerve symptoms.

  This is fairly common, requiring careful review of your history of symptoms, detailed physical examination, and EMG to differentiate the problem.

  Dr. Rue specializes in prevention and treatment of sports and exercise injuries. His primary focuses are knee, shoulder and elbow injuries including ACL and cartilage injuries, rotator cuff injuries and overuse tendonitis.

  Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. Shes also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.;;

  Can Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cause Pain In The Armpit

  

  June 19, 2010 by Kathryn Merrow

  Can your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome cause pain in your armpit?; Heres a switch; I mean really a switch.;

  Your wrist and hand symptoms can be caused by the muscles under your arm.; Under your armpit you have muscles that attach from ribs to arm and shoulder.; You have muscles in your chest that also attach to your arm.

  When these muscles get tight, they can traction down on the nerves that pass through your arm to your hand.; The nerves hate being pressed on and so they cause discomfort in your hand.

  Although short muscles dont usually complain, the ones under your armpit can be

  uncomfortable when they are in a knot or spasm.

  The muscles on the side of your back, just behind your armpit, can also be involved .; Those muscles can also have pain when they are in spasm or contraction.

  So, you see, this is NOT a case of which comes firstthe chicken or the egg.;

  Even if you were not aware of the armpit pain before your hand pain started, the spasm was most likely already there.; It is just becoming tighter with time.

  It is very likely that our carpal tunnel pain is a result of that tightness in the muscles under your armpit.

  The good news is that you can press into those armpit muscles by yourself.; It will be uncomfortable because they are tight.; Just keep pressing and feeling and assessing the tightness in those muscles.; By pressing into those muscles with your fingers, it mechanically relaxes them.

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  Health Issues That May Cause Carpal Tunnel Problems

  There are several unique health conditions that may lead to the onset of problems with the carpal tunnel region. These are as follows:

  • Those that experience issues with the tendons in the wrist, such as swelling, inflammation, and other types of irritation are at a high risk for developing carpal tunnel problems.
  • Changes with the hormones or the unique metabolic balance of the body such as pregnancy and/or issues with the thyroid could result in CTS.
  • Injuries that directly impact the wrist like sprains, dislocations, and even fractures may place immense pressure on the carpal tunnel and cause hand, arm, and shoulder problems.
  • Retaining fluid in the body due to other conditions, such as pregnancy, diabetes, and issues with the endocrine system may increase the pressure in the carpal tunnel.
  • Arthritis and/or degenerative disorders in the body are known to cause carpal tunnel problems.
  • In addition to the health issues that may lead to CTS, certain types of medications such as steroids may also result in severe pressure in the carpal tunnel in the wrist.

  Nature Of Shoulder Pain

  Shoulder pain arising due to neck pain often has characteristic features, which when present, involvement of the neck should be suspected.

  • Pain in the neck region, radiating to the shoulders, arms and hands.
  • Burning, tingling sensation or shooting pain in shoulders and arms.
  • Shoulder and neck pain worsens on movement of neck.
  • Shoulder pain is relieved when neck is supported, rested or when lying down.
  • Using a neck brace, cold or warm compresses to the neck, provide relief to shoulder pain and reduce stiffness.

  Some features that may be noted when shoulder pain is more local and may not be necessarily related to the neck include:

  • Dull aching shoulder pain, may be around arms but not the hands.
  • Shoulder pain worsens on movements of the shoulder and not of the neck.
  • Pain in shoulder is experienced after a fall or blow to the shoulder.
  • Shoulder pain is relieved after resting or supporting the arm.

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  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Vs A Pinched Nerve Elsewhere

  May 1, 2013

  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common complaint presented to chiropractic offices. Usually, patients wait for weeks, months, or even years before seeking care, thus making management more challenging. The history of the classic CTS patient includes a mild, sporadic onset of symptoms that gradually becomes more frequent and intense. This usually leads to continued problems that start to affect other areas proximal to the hand, such as the elbow, shoulder, and/or neck. We usually find that people will compensate during their activities, and instead of moving the wrist and hand to perform a task, they will start to move their elbow and shoulder more to avoid irritating movements of the hand/wrist. Over time, overloading the muscles in these areas can lead to one or more conditions commonly referred to as cumulative trauma disorder , which includes many diagnoses including tendonitis of the thumb , ganglion cysts, tennis elbow , golfers or bowlers elbow , cubital tunnel syndrome , tunnel of Guyon syndrome , shoulder tendonitis , thoracic outlet syndrome , and / or neck strain, neck herniated disk, pinched nerve, and/or headaches. Many times, these conditions co-exist if the patient has really abused themselves to a point where they are REALLY injured in multiple areas.

  To locate a Doctor of Chiropractic who has taken The ChiroTrust Pledge, google “The ChiroTrust Pledge” and the name of a town in quotes.

  Examination Of The Wrist

  Prevent shoulder carpal syndrome- Cure shoulder and neck pain

  Your doctor or health professional will ask you to describe your symptoms. They will take a look at your hand and wrist to assess how bad the condition is. If the wrist is swollen due to arthritis or tendon swelling, this could be the cause of your symptoms.

  If youve had the condition for some time, there may be signs of muscle wasting at the base of the thumb. If the problem is severe, your thumb, index and middle fingers may be insensitive or numb to either a gentle touch or a pin prick.

  Your doctor may tap over the median nerve on the palm side of your wrist, this is known as Tinels test. Or they may ask you to bend your palm towards your forearm for up to a minute, which is known as Phalens test.

  These tests can help to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome, but they arent reliable, so you may also have one of the tests described below.

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  To Protect Your Shoulders:

  • Avoid activities that require you to reach overhead for long periods.
  • Don’t move your shoulder repeatedly for a prolonged period .
  • Do range-of-motion exercises to maintain strength and flexibility.
  • Use good posture.
  • Don’t grip tools or pens too tightly.
  • Don’t clench your fists.
  • Avoid repeated hand and finger motions.
  • Don’t lean on your elbows, and avoid bumping them.
  • Use a forearm band during physical activity.

  What Other Conditions Can Cause Similar Symptoms

  Several of them. One, which doctors call de Quervain tenosynovitis, causes problems with the tendons that control your thumb. It hurts to turn your wrist, make a fist, or try to grasp an object. Your doctor can do some simple tests to tell whether you have this condition or carpal tunnel.

  Other health problems that may seem like carpal tunnel syndrome include:

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  What Happens Without Treatment

  At first, symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome come and go, but as the condition worsens, symptoms may become constant. Pain may radiate up the arm all the way to the shoulder. Over time, if untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause the muscles on the thumb side of your hand to waste away . Even with treatment, strength and sensation may never be completely restored.

  How Pain Travels Along The Spine

  

  In order to answer this question, we need to talk a little bit about how pain signals travel up and down the spine. The spine is essentially a pathway through which our nerves travel. Nerves begin in the brain, travel down the spine, and then to all other areas of the body. When a herniated disc impedes on a nerve it can cause pain and other issues.

  Pain in one area of the spine can be the result of an injury or condition that originates in another region of the spine. For example, a slipped disc in the neck, may lead to pain that radiates down through the arms, and chest. If the condition is severe enough, a herniated cervical disc can even lead to pain or weakness in the lower body.

  Back pain and numbness in the extremities is nothing to be ignored. If left unchecked, these symptoms can lead to permanent nerve damage. Contact your doctor to set up an appointment if you have any of these symptoms.

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  Is My Arm Pain Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  Do you have pain in your arm close to the wrist area? Do you suspect its caused by performing repetitive tasks like typing, sewing, or assembly line work? If you answered yes to both these questions, there is a chance you are experiencing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome . ;Arm pain can be indicative of a number of problems, including but not limited to:

  • CTS
  • bursitis
  • even a broken bone

  However, CTS causes acute discomfort that radiates from the tip of the finger all the way up to the shoulder joint.

  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Can Cause Pain In Your Entire Arm But Not Without The Help Of Another Neurological Disorder

  To relieve the whole arm pain, you must have both conditions treated.

  In order for carpal tunnel syndrome to lead to pain in the entire arm, a second condition involving the nerves must be present.

  A condition or phenomenon, called double crush, exists where the nerves can be irritated or impinged in two separate locations, says John-Paul H. Rue, MD, orthopedic sports medicine surgeon with Orthopedics and Joint Replacement at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.

  A common example of this may be seen when someone may have cervical radiculopathy, and the nerves exiting the spinal canal in the neck may be pinched or irritated by a herniated disc or other cause within the cervical spine.

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  What Is A Pinched Nerve

  A pinched nerve is a compressed nerve. Surrounding tissues that press on nerve roots can cause pain, numbness and tingling in different areas of your body. In many cases, the cause is a herniated disk slipping out between vertebrae in the spinal cord and pressing on the spinal nerve that goes down the leg.

  Most pinched nerves originate in the neck , upper middle back or lower back . You can also experience pinched nerves in your hand, elbow and wrist .

  Pinched nerves can affect several areas of your body:

  • A pinched nerve in the cervical spine can give you a stiff neck, and the pain and numbness can affect the shoulder and arm.
  • A pinched lumbar nerve in the lower back can cause pain in your back, hips, buttocks and legs.
  • Thoracic radiculopathy causes pain in your chest area. If you have severe chest pain, play it safe and call your healthcare provider.

  A pinched nerve can be painful, but its usually treatable with rest, over-the-counter medication and physical therapy. Most people recover fully from a pinched nerve.

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  How Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Can Lead To Shoulder Pain

  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is Really in Your Neck and Causes Hand, Wrist and Forearm Pain

  The carpal tunnel is a narrow region in the wrist that is located on the side of the palm. It protects the tendons that are responsible for bending the fingers, as well as the median nerve. When there is too much pressure in this area, a person can experience weakness, numbness, or tingling in the fingers and hand.

  Over time, the entire functionality of a persons arm can be affected. Shoulder pain can be intense and constant, or it can occur with specific motions such as reaching overhead or behind the back. This can make it difficult to handle everyday tasks as simple as brushing your hair or putting away your groceries after a shopping trip.

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  Chronic Cold Hands: Symptoms Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, tingling and other symptoms in the hand and arm, including cold hands.;

  Cold hands are a common symptom of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome along with pain in the shoulder, pain in the forearm and even in your neck. The most notable reason for chronic cold hands with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are caused by pinched nerves that restrict blood circulation which interferes with the healing process and most time leaving your hands cold regardless of the weather.

  Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a compressed nerve in the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway on the palm side of your wrist.; Two reasons for this condition is injured soft tissue and the other is inflammation that traps parts of the hand and wrist creating prtessure on the blood flow and causing numbing, tingling and cold hands.

  Some of the cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  • Repetitive Motions, like typing, or any motions of the wrist that your do over and over.; This typically occurs when your hands are lower than your wrists.
  • Medical conditions, such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and obesity are common conditions that can be associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

  Treatments

  Things to try

  
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