Those who complete repetitive motions throughout their day are at an increased risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Typists, assembly line workers, mechanics, musicians and carpenters are often diagnosed with this condition. In addition to these jobs, those who participate in hobbies like needlework, gardening, rowing and golf can also experience carpal tunnel syndrome.

According to the Mayo Clinic there are several risk factors that can increase the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. For example, a wrist dislocation or fracture can alter the space inside the carpal tunnel, leading to excess pressure on the median nerve. Additionally, those with smaller carpal tunnels are at an increased risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

Women are also more likely to experience carpal tunnel than men. This may be due to women having smaller wrists and carpal tunnels than men. Inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, chronic illnesses that cause nerve damage such as diabetes and fluid retention (edema) can increase the pressure in the carpal tunnel. Finally, certain medical issues including menopause, kidney failure, obesity and thyroid disorders can increase the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

WebMD reports that carpal tunnel syndrome causes a number of symptoms, including:

- The patient may have difficulty grasping objects. The sufferer may find they drop objects often.

- The sufferer may experience difficulty closing the hand to make a fist.

- Fingers may feel swollen.

- Fingers may feel numb and tingle.

- The pain and/or numbness may be worse at night and disrupt sleep.

- The hand may be weak.

- The patient may have problems manipulating smaller objects.

- The patient may experience burning and pain in the thumb, index and middle fingers. This pain can travel up the arm to the elbow.

The symptoms may occur in both hands; however, they are typically more severe in one hand. Oftentimes, the symptoms first appear at night. Although you will be able to fall asleep, the pain and tingling may wake you up at night.

Carpal tunnel syndrome does not affect the little finger. The median nerve only runs to the middle finger, the index finger, the ring finger and the thumb. If you are experiencing symptoms in the little finger, you may have a similar condition.

Other conditions that have similar symptoms include nerve problems in the fingers, neck or elbow, an injury to the tendons, bones or muscles in the hand, wrist and forearm and arthritis in the hand or wrist. In order to determine if you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, you will need to visit a doctor.

At your appointment, a complete medical history will be taken. The doctor will ask about any medical problems, injuries and daily activities that could be causing your symptoms. The physical exam will include tests to compare the strength in each hand.

In addition to this, the doctor may order a variety of tests to determine if you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. These tests may include an EMG, which checks for nerve conductivity; x-rays to check for arthritis, tumors and past injuries that may be causing the symptoms, an ultrasound to determine the size of the median nerve, an MRI to check for circulation issues and inflammation in the carpal tunnel and blood tests to check for rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid issues and other illnesses.

Once carpal tunnel syndrome has been diagnosed, the doctor may recommend chiropractic care for pain reliefof your symptoms. The chiropractor will use a variety of treatment methods to relieve your pain and numbness, including spinal manipulation, cold laser therapy, strength training exercises, flexibility exercises, electrical stimulation and massage. In addition to these treatments, the chiropractor may recommend acupuncture or acupressure to help increase blood flow to promote healing of the median nerve, muscle, nerves and tendons in the carpal tunnel area.