Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Charlotte, NC: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Most of the activities we engage in are carried out with our hands, whether they be writing, typing, working, or outdoor or indoor sport activities. These activities build pressure in our wrists and sometimes cause pain.
Over time, you may begin to feel numbness, weakness, and tingling in your hands and arms, potentially indicating that the median nerve running from your forearm to your palm has come under too much pressure, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Our Charlotte Physiatrist, Dr. Usman Ahmad, DO is experienced and qualified in providing stem cell therapy in Charlotte, NC to treat carpal tunnel syndrome and improve his patients’ quality of life. Read on to learn more about carpal tunnel syndrome, its symptoms, causes, and treatments.
What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)?
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a neurological condition that develops when the median nerve, which moves from your forearm into your palm, is compressed or pinched at the wrist. Whenever you wake up and feel you need to relieve pains in your hand or wrist, you may be experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome.
The carpal tunnel, a narrow, stiff corridor of ligament and bones near the base of the hand, is where the median nerve and the tendons travel. The thumb, index, middle, and parts of your ring fingers are all sensed by the median nerve. Additionally, the carpal tunnel has control over a few tiny muscles at the base of your thumb.
Possible symptoms of CTS can include numbness, weakness, hand and wrist pain, and bloating in your fingers.
Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome has been linked to all or some of the following:
- Frequent, repetitive hand movements, such as when using a keyboard or typing.
- Disease of the joints or bones (such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or arthritis).
- Alterations in blood sugar levels (which are possible in type 2 diabetes).
- Other ailments or injuries affecting the wrist, such as a strain, sprain, break, dislocation, or edema and inflammation.
- Frequent, repetitive hand movements including gripping, as seen in sports and other athletic activities.
- Hormonal or metabolic changes, such as those brought on by menopause, pregnancy, or a thyroid condition
- A history of carpal tunnel syndrome in the family.
Carpal tunnel syndrome, when discovered early, can be effectively treated with stem cell therapy. We provide stem cell therapy in Charlotte, NC to effectively and holistically treat CTS in our patients and provide them with a higher quality of life!
How Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Diagnosed?
There are a few ways we diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome to provide the best carpal tunnel treatment in Charlotte, NC. The major methods we use include:
Physical Examination
Dr. Ahmad will perform a physical examination of your hands, arms, shoulders, and neck to rule out other conditions that resemble carpal tunnel syndrome and to ascertain whether your complaints are caused by routine tasks or an underlying disorder.
The presence of soreness, swelling, warmth, and discoloration in your wrist will be examined. The strength and appearance of atrophy in the muscles at the base of your hand will also be examined, along with the sensation in your fingers.
X-Rays and Lab Tests
X-rays usually reveal forms of fractures, arthritis, and disorders that harm the nerves., such as diabetes. Additionally, we may carry out routine diagnostic lab wrist tests to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome. Such tests include:
The Tinel Test
During a Tinel test, Dr. Usman will put pressure on or tap the median nerve in your wrist to see if it results in tingling in your fingers, or a shock-like sensation.
Wrist Flexion Test (or Phalen Test)
For the wrist-flexion test, you will be required to hold your forearms straight while pointing your fingers downward and squeezing your hands together. Within a minute, your fingers should start to tingle or become more numb if you have carpal tunnel syndrome.
Electromyography (EMG)
To assess the degree of injury to the median nerve, we use electromyography. Electromyography involves inserting a small needle into a muscle and viewing electrical activity on a screen.
After diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome, Dr. Usman will then provide the best treatment option to help resolve it.
Common Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Numbness or pain in one or both hands.
- Having trouble holding objects in one’s or both of your hands.
- Your fingers feel swollen.
- Pain or numbness that interferes with sleep and gets worse at night.
- The sensation of “pins and needles” in the fingers.
- Index and middle fingers, as well as the thumb, experience burning or tingling.
Carpal Tunnel Treatment With Stem Cell Therapy in Charlotte, NC
Although we provide stem cell treatment in Charlotte, NC, to effectively manage pains in the carpal tunnel, we also use one of the most advanced pain management techniques known as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. This non-surgical method relieves pain and discomfort quickly, effectively, and permanently.
PRP therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that promotes mobility and functionality while offering the best possible healing for pains. We provide PRP therapy in Charlotte, NC, as an effective means of managing and treating CTS in our patients.
While PRP and stem cell-based therapy can effectively treat carpal tunnel syndrome, we also recommend carpal tunnel injection as a viable method of treatment. Before administering a carpal tunnel injection, Dr. Ahmad will first conduct an ultrasound of your wrist.
Schedule an appointment with us for the best carpal tunnel treatment in Charlotte, NC today!
Disclaimer: The benefits of regenerative medicine have not been reviewed or approved by the FDA.