Anatomy of the Carpal Tunnel

The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in the wrist, formed by the carpal bones and a strong band of connective tissue called the transverse retinaculum. Running through this tunnel are the median nerve and nine flexor tendons:

• Flexor pollicis longus (controls thumb flexion)
• Four tendons of the flexor digitorum superficialis (control finger flexion)
• Four tendons of the flexor digitorum profundus (control deeper finger flexion)

The median nerve provides sensation to the thumb, index, middle, and part of the ring finger — but not the little finger.

Common Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can develop for several reasons, including:

• Repetitive Use and Injuries: Frequent keyboard use, smartphone texting, or any repetitive wrist motion can cause inflammation and nerve compression.
• Medical Conditions: Diabetes, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain medications like anastrozole (used in breast cancer treatment) can increase risk.
• Cervical Radiculopathy: Issues originating from the cervical spine (neck) can mimic or contribute to symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Traditional Treatments

Conventional treatments often focus on symptom management and may include:

• Wrist splints
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Corticosteroid injections
• Surgery to relieve pressure on the median nerve

While these approaches can be helpful, they often focus more on symptom relief rather
than addressing the root causes.

Addressing Severe Cases with Cervical Involvement

In some patients, Carpal Tunnel-like symptoms stem from cervical radiculopathy — a condition where nerve roots in the neck are compressed. X-rays often show spinal degeneration, including bone spurs and narrowed spaces between vertebrae at C5-C6 or C6-C7.

Symptoms can include sharp, shooting pain down the arm alongside numbness and weakness in the hands.

At weMED Clinics, we take a regenerative medicine approach for these complex cases, utilizing advanced therapies like bone marrow stem cell treatments to improve spinal health, reduce nerve compression, and dramatically lessen pain — often helping patients avoid spinal surgery.