The nerves that control muscles in the arms and hands come from the spine at the lower part of the neck (McGill, 1997, p. 44). Many cases of carpal tunnel syndrome have their origins in this area because pinched nerves in the neck create discomfort in the wrist. The wrists contain seven bones called carpals. The carpal bones of the wrist are stacked in rows with an opening between them known as the carpal tunnel. Nerves coming from the neck and arms pass through these tunnels on their way to the hands and fingers. If they do not receive the proper nerve conduction, when the wrists are put under constant stress, such as in typing, the bones move out of their normal position and pinch the nerves in the wrist, producing painful symptoms in the hands, wrists and forearms, known as carpal tunnel syndrome. Numbness is felt initially, later it is mixed with sharp shooting pains up into the forearms. If the condition is not treated, tension will develop in the arms and shoulders, further complicating the problem by causing muscle spasms in the arms and shoulders.
This problem is often caused by muscle spasms and subluxations in the cervical vertebrae in the neck, and can come from an old injury which may have been forgotten, or from repetitive movements of the wrists and hands over many years. The vertebrae subluxation complex is a misalignment or malposition of an articular joint, such as one in the vertebral column. This subluxation puts pressure on the nerves exiting the spinal cord at that point, and thus affects function of any structures served by the nerves below the point of subluxation. Pressure due to a vertebrae subluxation complex in the neck affects the nerves of the arms and hands, and can thus cause carpal tunnel syndrome if the subluxation is not corrected by manipulation of the bones in the neck at the site of subluxation. Realignment of the bones in the wrist may also be necessary, as they may be out of...