Muscle Compression and Tight Fascia Can Mimic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel is the compression of a nerve that comes in through the forearm and into the wrist through a little tunnel. The nerve can get caught in the tunnel and, if there’s compression, it can cause pain and numbness in the hand and the fingers.

There are other conditions that can mimic the symptoms of carpal tunnel. It’s important to explore these other potential causes before pursing treatment options such as surgery.

Tightness in the Fascia

In between your skin and your muscle is something called fascia. The fascia and the muscles are intimately connected. Fascia is like a gluey substance that wraps itself around your muscle fibers and the larger muscle groups. If there’s a group of muscles that’s overworked, the fascia around it can become really tight and you can develop tension in your muscles called trigger points. This can mimic or contribute to the compression of those nerves through the hand making it feel like you have Carpal Tunnel.

Compression in your Shoulder/Arm

Compression through the shoulder and arm can also be causing symptoms that mimic carpal tunnel syndrome.

There is a median nerve that is part of a bigger group of nerves called the brachial plexus. It comes out of your spine through the neck, through the shoulders from the front of the peck muscles all the way down to your hand.  You can have compression in any of those areas that feels like carpal tunnel.

Treatment Options

It’s really important to address the cause of this behind the tensioning that’s happening through the arm. It’s important to figure out why it happened, not just release the tension.

You should be evaluated by a holistic, integrative physical therapist. If you’re in the Philadelphia-area, visit our website invincible-pun.flywheelstaging.com for more information or to schedule a complimentary phone consultation. If you’re not in the area but are seeking a recommendation, contact us and we can help you find a professional in your area.