New York Spine Institute Spine Services

Carpal Tunnel

Why Choose New York Spine Institute 

Quality Care

NYSI is dedicated to providing our patients with the most personalized care for your specific condition. Our highly knowledgeable team of doctors are well equipped to supply you with the highest quality of care possible and create a specialized treatment plan to help you manage your symptoms.

Industry Leaders

Our doctors work under the guidance of our medical director, Alexandre B. de Moura, M.D. FAAOS. Our spine doctors at NYSI are industry leaders and treat a variety of neck and spine disorders, striving to give our patients the exceptional care and treatment options that they deserve.

Multiple Languages 

Our team of professionals at NYSI also speak a variety of different languages to help further accommodate our patients. Our languages include Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Russian. We are happy to be able to serve all of our patients needs.

Understanding the Causes of Your Carpal Tunnel

Carpal Tunnel syndrome can arise from a variety of reasons although many people don’t know what exactly causes them to have this condition. Often times it is due to frequent or repetitive motion of the wrists, most commonly typing or any other wrist movements that are done for long periods of time. Along with this one particular cause there are other common causes of carpal tunnel that include:

  • Repetitive wrist motions 
  • Repeated use of hand tools
  • Work stress
  • Pregnancy, often caused because of edema or fluid retention
  • Inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis 
  • Trauma, such as fracture of the wrist 
  • Any kind of swelling or inflammation around tendons

Diagnosing Your Carpal Tunnel

A physician often will diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome by asking about your specific symptoms as well as examining the hand and the wrist for any signs of weakness in muscles around your thumb. They perform a variety of tests that can better assess how well the person can functionally use the hand and wrist. Some of the tests include:

  • Tinel’s test: doctor taps median nerve at wrist lightly to determine whether or not the patients is feeling any numbness or tingling sensations in one or more of their fingers
  • Phalen’s test: the patient is asked to press the backs of the hands against each other so that the wrist is bent, if tingling occurs while doing this, there may be an indication of damage to the median nerve
  • Nerve conduction study: electrodes are placed on the patient’s hand and wrist and a small electric shock is applied to measure how quickly the nerves are transmitting the impulses to the muscles 
  • Blood tests: can help detect underlying condition that is directly related to carpal tunnel syndrome for example hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, or diabetes
  • X-ray: image scans can show whether there is a fracture or other leading cause such as rheumatoid arthritis 

To properly diagnose carpal tunnel and to determine a treatment plan that is appropriate for your specific condition, seeking professional care is the most effective way to begin relieving your symptoms.*

Treatment Options for Carpal Tunnel

Various treatment options for patients with carpal tunnel aim to relieve symptoms and slow the progression of carpal tunnel syndrome by reducing pressure on the median nerve. Patients that experience mild symptoms of carpal tunnel may find that their condition improves without treatment within a few months but if discomfort happens for an extended period of time other treatment options may be necessary. Treatments that are considered to help relieve pain related to carpal tunnel syndrome include:

  • Medications: your doctor may recommend a corticosteroid injection to reduce any inflammation and swelling. Tablets are also available but usually take longer to become effective.
  • Surgery: in more severe cases, where your symptoms last for over 6 months, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure called carpal tunnel release surgery or also known as carpal tunnel decompression where they cut the carpal ligament to reduce pressure on the median nerve.

*The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment varies from patient to patient and depending on your specific condition. The New York City Spine Institute does not guarantee certain results.

The New York Spine Institute is dedicated to treating your existing carpal tunnel condition. Whether the right treatment option includes medications, physical therapy, or surgery, we want to help improve your quality of life.*

Woman holding right wrist

Need a Consultation for Your Carpal Tunnel? 

We have offices that are located throughout greater New York City, Long Island, White Plains, and Newburgh, NY. If you would like to schedule a free consultation, call us today.

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