Question
I would really appreciate your opinion.  For the last 5-7 months I have been dealing with 24/7 pain in my wrists, my right hand.  My fingers go numb sometimes and I have sharp stabs of pain up and down my arm.  Hand just hurts in general all the time.  No injuries.  Slowly developed and just getting worse.  I have been to orthopedic surgeon, he had a EMG done which tested negative for carpal tunnel which is good.  With his suggestion I went ahead and had the endoscopic surgery done on my hand.  Didn't help, same pain as before.  I have now been to two different PTs.  First PT gave me exercises which I have been following to the letter, putty, and told me to join a gym.  I have been working out a lot to strengthen my muscles.  I am 22 years old, on the computer a lot because of work and school and weigh 127 lbs.  I am a skinny guy and its hard for me to gain weight period, let alone muscle.  I'm trying.  Wrist splints don't help, exercise hasn't helped with the pain but I will continue to do that.  I am currently taking B6, B12, Glucosamine, Chondroiton, MSM, Omega Fish Oil, Calcium, and Naproxen (for pain).  I am also using Topricin ointment on my wrist to help calm the pain down.  

What is your advice????  I am going to see chiropractor first thing tomorrow morning as I have been told my friends and family that it might be a pinched nerve.  I am about to my breaking point, wrists and hand hurt all the time. Do you think a chiropractor could help???  Any advice would be appreciated.  Should I see a neurologist?  

Answer
Brian,

I am sorry to hear of your situation but the best thing you are doing is to go to the chiropractor. It is possible that you have a pinched nerve and the chiropractor will more than likely check the neck and upper back for possible subluxations of the neck and upper back vertebra ( pinched nerves). The chiropractor will more than likely check the shoulder, the elbow as well as the wrist for joint dysfunction. The nerves in your arm originate in the neck/upper back area of your spine so that is why a competent chiropractor will delve into the entire length of the nerves from beginning to end.

What you described is very common in our society today because of the amount of computer work we do so there are a few things you should discuss with your chiropractor. First and foremost you will need to know if you have forward head posture. I am willing to bet you have lost the natural curve in your cervical spine. This alone causes pressure to the delicate nerves of the cervical (neck) spine that go down your arm. The idea here is that there is an increased amount of pressure on each of the nerves because of the loss of your curve. Second you absolutely have got to have the ergonomics of your work station looked at by someone who knows what he is doing. Even if the Chiropractor can fix your situation if you go back to the same ole work station you will be causing consistent micro trauma to your body..sort of like the Chinese water torture for your neck and upper back not to mention your wrists.Thirdly ask you chiropractor to get you a Dakota pillow to help put the curve back in your neck if in fact you have a loss of the curve.

My wish would have been that you started with chiropractic office rather than going as a last resort.

Good luck and if you have the time let me know how I did with my predictions which are meant to be a guideline for you to discuss with your chiropractor. Put another way my comments were meant as a pathway of diagnostics that I think are pertinent in your case.

Yours in health,

Dr John Q Quackenbush