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Millions of Americans suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). While carpal tunnel syndrome is common, many people don’t understand crucial facts about CTS.
Today, we’re debunking some of the most common myths about carpal tunnel syndrome.
Myth #1: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is Caused by Repetitive Hand Movements
Many people are surprised to discover that there has been no causal relationship observed between any specific job or hand movements and the development of carpal tunnel syndrome.
In 2008, researchers reviewed eight epidemiological studies on the connection between computer use and CTS. The review found no evidence that computer work or other repetitive, low-force work caused CTS.
In fact, 90% of carpal tunnel syndrome is idiopathic, which means nobody knows why it occurs.
We do know that certain factors influence carpal tunnel syndrome, including:
• Age: CTS is more common among older adults • Gender: Women are more likely to get CTS • Genetics: Some people have naturally narrow carpal tunnels in their wrists • Medical Conditions: People with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid imbalances are more likely to get CTS
Myth #2: People Who Type a Lot Will Get Carpal Tunnel
When most people think of carpal tunnel syndrome, they think of people who type on a keyboard all day. In fact, there’s limited evidence connecting keyboard activity to carpal tunnel syndrome.
In the 1980s, people tried to sue major keyboard manufacturers after they developed carpal tunnel syndrome. These lawsuits failed because there was no demonstrable connection found between key-board usage and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Myth #3: You Can Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Changing your Job
Your job may have caused carpal tunnel syndrome originally. It’s natural to think that switching your job or duties would relieve symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
If you change your activities significantly, then your symptoms may diminish. However, the underlying problem of pressure on the median nerve may not go away simply by switching your job.
However, one study published in Deutsches Aerzteblatt International in April 2011 did find a causal connection between specific work duties and CTS. Workers who performed manual tasks requiring a forceful grip, for example, had a higher risk of developing CTS, as did workers using vibrating tools. Meat packers and loggers, for example, had a higher risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. The same study found that keyboard usage was not a cause of CTS.
Myth #4: Magnets, Splints, and Vitamins Can Cure CTS
Carpal tunnel magnets, crystals, copper bands, and splints have no apparent long-term effect on CTS.
Splinting has been shown to temporarily relieve pressure in the carpal tunnel because the wrist is held in a neutral position and pressure is maximized when the wrist is flexed or extended. However, that doesn’t mean the pressure disappears. Nevertheless, some physicians recommend splinting to temporarily relieve pressure until surgery or steroid injections.
Myth #5: Many People Have CTS Reoccur After Corrective Surgery
There’s a myth that carpal tunnel surgery has a high rate of recurrence. In reality, only about 1% to 2% of people with CTS will develop CTS again after surgery. Some statistics show that the recurrence rate is as low as 0.5%.
Nevertheless, CTS surgery remains rare, and most CTS sufferers choose a different treatment path.
Myth #6: Most CTS Sufferers Are Men Who’ve Worked on Computers Their Whole Lives
Again, the myth about CTS and computer usage rears its head in many online myths. However, CTS most commonly affects women around age 50. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, women are 3 times more likely than men to be diagnosed with CTS – regardless of whether they work on a computer or not.
Myth #7: Incorrect Wrist Position Causes CTS
Proper computer posture may tell you to keep your wrists a certain way. However, bad wrist posture has not been linked specifically to CTS. Certain wrist positions have been shown to increase pressure on the carpal tunnel, although this in-creased pressure did not reach dangerous levels. Myth #8: Keyboard Injuries Are Generally Related to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Keyboard use has not been proven to cause carpal tunnel syndrome. However, there are still plenty of injuries caused by keyboard usage.
Keyboard use – particularly keyboard use with bad posture or form – can significantly raise the risk of upper-extremity disorders, even though it may not specifically increase your risk of CTS.
Myth #9: The Only Way to Relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is Through Surgery
Carpal tunnel syndrome surgery is one potential treatment. Generally, surgery has a success rate of 75% to 90%, although relatively few CTS sufferers choose surgery.
However, you can certainly relieve carpal tunnel pain through other methods, including wearing a wrist brace, using ice therapy, taking NSAIDs or diuretics, receiving steroid injections, and taking an oral corticosteroid like prednisone.
A chiropractor or other health professional can advise you on the best way to treat CTS. Many chiropractors specialize in treating CTS and can effectively relieve the condition with steroid injections and other treatments.
Schedule a Chiropractic Appointment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Lakewood, Colorado Today
Renew Chiropractic has decades of experience serving CTS patients across the Denver metropolitan area.
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