A Look at What’s Going On – And Who to Call in Boulder
It usually sneaks up on you. Maybe your hands fall asleep when you’re driving, or there’s this nagging tingling in your thumb and a couple fingers after a long day on the computer. Could just be a weird sleeping position… until it’s not.
That’s how it tends to go with carpal tunnel. It doesn’t always start loud, but it sticks around. At Alternative Health Clinic in Boulder, Dr. Pamela Hart sees this sort of thing fairly often—and most folks wait longer than they should before doing something about it.
What’s Actually Causing It?
There’s a nerve that runs down your arm—the median nerve—and it goes through this tight little space in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. When stuff swells up around there, it presses on the nerve. That’s when the weird stuff starts—numbness, tingling, sometimes burning, and a grip that doesn’t feel as strong as it used to.
Could be from typing, repetitive work, posture stuff, even how your shoulder or neck is sitting. It’s not always just about the wrist.
What It Feels Like (and What It Doesn’t)
It’s not like regular muscle soreness. It’s more… electric. Like your hand’s half asleep, or buzzing. You might:
- Wake up with a numb hand
- Drop things because your grip’s off
- Get a burning pain up your forearm
- Feel worse after work or long drives
If it’s sticking around more than a few days—or showing up every night—it’s probably not going away on its own.
Chiropractic and Carpal Tunnel? Yep.
Might not be the first thing you think of, but chiropractic care can make a real difference here. Dr. Hart doesn’t just look at your wrist—she checks how your whole arm’s moving, where the tension’s building, and how your spine or shoulders might be adding to the problem.
Sometimes a few adjustments make things start to ease up. Sometimes it takes a little more hands-on work or a stretch routine that fits your day. But either way, it’s not about masking pain—it’s about getting to why it’s happening in the first place.
You Don’t Have to Wait Until It’s Bad
Most folks try to “push through” it for a while. Wrap the wrist. Shake it out. Ignore it. But if it’s been happening off and on for more than a couple weeks, it’s worth checking out. Way easier to deal with it now than wait for it to get to the point where you can’t sleep or work comfortably.
If you’re in Boulder and this sounds familiar, give Alternative Health Clinic a call at 303-449-2225 and ask for a visit with Dr. Pamela Hart. It doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. Just someone who’ll actually listen and help figure out what’s going on.
What are the signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel?
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include pain, numbness, and weakness that is first felt in the palm of the hands. The earlier that a diagnosis is made, the better the chances are of a good recovery without surgery.
When you first feel symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, you should see a doctor. The condition may build up slowly. Once treated by either noninvasive or invasive procedures, your full recovery time can go as long as 12 weeks.
Those who are at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome include those with a hereditary connection, those who perform repetitive tasks with their hands and figures repeatedly such as a typist are more prone to get this. Pregnancy is another risk factor. Chronic illnesses, previous dislocation or other injuries, and obesity are also factors.
If left untreated, you may experience weakness in your wrist as well as a lack of coordination in your fingers.
How is carpal tunnel diagnosed?
Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is made through patient history, physical examination x-rays, and nerve and muscle studies. Usually, during the physical examination, the doctor will tap on your wrist. This usually evokes a pain response.
If the doctor feels that the case is severe enough, you will be referred for carpal tunnel release surgery. It is usually a good idea to opt for non-invasive treatments such as chiropractor adjustment before agreeing to surgical release.
How is carpal tunnel treated?
Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome includes braces, stretching exercises, and chiropractic treatment. If these treatments are not successful, the surgical release does have an excellent success rate.
Massage of the hands and wrists and gentle stretching can help you prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
FAQ's
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME IS ALLOWED TO PROGRESS?
When this condition worsens, you would experience increased pain and numbness. Your hand and wrist would weaken further to the point of a loss of coordination. You would start to drop things after awhile.
DOES CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME INTERFERE WITH SLEEP IN ANY WAY?
Most patients report that the pain from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is bad enough to awaken them from sleep. It can be worse at night than it is during the day.
WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be prevented through gentle exercises and stretches, more frequent breaks, and proper posture. If you are positioning your hands above the keyboard in an ergonomic manner, you can keep Carpal Tunnel Syndrome at bay.