Do symptoms like pins and needles in your index, middle and part of your ring finger bother you, more so at night? Do you find them coming on whilst sitting at work typing or riding your road bike with your wrists resting on the handlebars?
You may have what is commonly referred to as ‘Carpal tunnel syndrome’ (CTS). Typically the diagnosis is based on the premise that the median nerve that causes the pins and needles gets trapped/restricted in the carpal tunnel. Traditional treatment typically involves splinting/wrist bracing, corticosteroid injections and extreme cases surgery.
However the question begs to be asked, is the problem actually in the wrist? There are three reasons why CTS may not be due to your wrist. If we look at where the median nerves runs through, one can appreciate that it actually can get entrapped in the following areas other than your wrist.
1. Neck
2. Armpit
3. Forearm muscles
If whatever reason the muscles in that region gets restricted, it can effect how well that nerve can slide causing it to get irritated and inflamed. The end result is your pins and needles.
While it is beneficial to work out the areas that have tightened up, just as importantly you need to know why it happened in the first place. The big players are things like poor posture, dysfunctional breathing patterns and old injuries that were treated correctly.
Active Release Technique (ART) is one of the techniques used at Kinetic Healthcare to effectively treat the soft tissue injuries that lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Neurokineteic Therapy (NKT) is an alternative technique that is utilised to address where the compensations in the body lie. Stop wasting doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. Book online below to finally sort your carpal tunnel syndrome.