Carpal Tunnel and Wrist Pain

Carpal tunnel usually announces itself at night. You wake up at 3 a.m. with your fingers numb and tingling, and you shake your hand until the feeling comes back. During the day you might drop things, fumble with buttons, or feel your hand go to sleep while you drive or hold your phone. At Hanson Chiropractic Center, we help people with carpal tunnel and other wrist pain every week, and the sooner you start, the easier it usually is to turn around.

Is it carpal tunnel?

Carpal tunnel happens when the nerve that runs through a narrow tunnel in your wrist gets squeezed. That nerve covers your thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half of your ring finger. So if those fingers go numb or tingle, carpal tunnel is a good guess. If it's mostly your pinky, a different nerve is usually involved.

Not all wrist pain is carpal tunnel. Pain on the thumb side of the wrist that hurts when you lift a baby or grip a pan is often an irritated tendon. A sore wrist after a fall could be a sprain. And sometimes the tingling in your hand doesn't start in the wrist at all. It starts in your neck or elbow, where the same nerve can get pinched on its way down the arm.

What causes carpal tunnel

Anything that keeps your wrist bent or your fingers working hard for long stretches can crowd that tunnel. Typing with your wrists bent back, using a mouse all day, power tools that vibrate, and gripping a steering wheel or a phone for hours are all common. So is sleeping with your wrists curled under your chin. Pregnancy and fluid retention can also crowd the nerve, which is why many women notice it in the last few months.

How we treat carpal tunnel

We start by finding out where the nerve is getting squeezed. We test the feeling and strength in your fingers, check how your wrist and forearm move, and look at your elbow and neck too, since a nerve pinched in two places hurts more than one pinched in one.

From there, care usually includes gentle adjustments to the small bones of the wrist, the elbow, and the neck when they're stiff. We loosen the tight forearm muscles that crowd the tunnel, and laser therapy can help calm irritated tissue. You'll also learn nerve glides, simple hand and arm movements that help the nerve slide freely instead of getting stuck.

If you've had constant numbness for a long time, or the muscles at the base of your thumb look smaller than they used to, that's a sign of a more severe case. We'll tell you if that's what we find and help you see the right doctor.

Small changes that take pressure off your wrist

Keep your wrists straight, not bent up or down, when you type. Lower your keyboard or raise your chair if you need to. Hold your phone with a relaxed grip and switch hands often. Take a short break every half hour to open and stretch your fingers. At night, try a basic wrist splint from the drugstore that keeps your wrist straight while you sleep.

When to see a doctor right away

Call 911 if sudden numbness or weakness in your hand or arm comes with drooping on one side of your face or trouble speaking. Those are signs of a stroke. After a fall on an outstretched hand, get an x-ray if the wrist looks bent, swells fast, or stays tender at the base of the thumb, since some wrist fractures don't look like much at first. MedlinePlus has more on carpal tunnel syndrome.

Questions about carpal tunnel and wrist pain

Can a chiropractor help with carpal tunnel?

For mild to moderate carpal tunnel, often yes. We work on the wrist, forearm, elbow, and neck to take pressure off the nerve, and we teach you exercises and habits that keep it from flaring. If your exam shows signs of a more severe case, we'll tell you and help you get to the right doctor. Results vary from person to person.

Why is carpal tunnel worse at night?

Most people sleep with their wrists curled. That bent position squeezes the nerve for hours, so you wake up with numb, tingly fingers and shake your hand to bring them back. A wrist splint that keeps your wrist straight overnight helps a lot of people.

Should I wear a wrist brace?

At night, a simple splint that holds your wrist straight is one of the most helpful things you can do. During the day, use it if it helps with a specific task, but don't wear it so much that your wrist gets stiff and weak.

Will I need surgery?

Most people don't, especially when they start care early. Surgery is usually saved for severe cases, like constant numbness or weakness in the thumb muscles. If you get to that point, we'll tell you.

My pinky goes numb. Is that carpal tunnel?

Probably not. Carpal tunnel affects the thumb, index, middle, and part of the ring finger. Numbness in the pinky usually comes from a different nerve, often pinched at the elbow. We check for that too.

Can pregnancy cause carpal tunnel?

Yes, it's pretty common. Extra fluid during pregnancy can crowd the nerve in the wrist. It often gets better after the baby comes. In the meantime, a night splint and gentle care can make it easier to live with.

This page is general information and doesn't replace advice from your doctor. Results vary from person to person. If your elbow hurts when you grip, see our page on tennis elbow and tendinitis. For other sore joints, visit our joint pain page, or fill out your new patient paperwork before your first visit.