Carpal Tunnel Care in Garner, NC
Carpal tunnel syndrome causes numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers, and it often wakes you at night until you shake the hand out. It happens when the median nerve gets squeezed in a narrow tunnel at the wrist. I'm Dr. Adam Seay, D.C. I check which fingers are affected, your grip, wrist, elbow and neck, work out what stage you're at, and build a plan around what I find. Call 919-662-0520 or tap Schedule Appointment above.
Warning signs
Get medical care right away for numbness that starts suddenly after a wrist injury, especially with severe pain and swelling, or for a hot, swollen wrist or a new fever with your symptoms. Get assessed promptly, not after another month of waiting, if the muscle pad at the base of your thumb looks thinner, your pinch grip is weak, or the numbness no longer comes and goes.
Your first hand visit
Your first visit includes:
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The story of your symptoms: which fingers go numb, whether it wakes you at night, and what shaking the hand does
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A map of exactly where the numbness is, since the thumb side, the little finger, the palm or both hands each point to a different problem
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Tests that reproduce your symptoms at the wrist, plus checks of the thumb muscle and your pinch and grip strength
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A screen of your neck and elbow, the two most common look-alikes
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Questions about thyroid, blood sugar, pregnancy and old wrist injuries, which can drive carpal tunnel and are worth checking
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A written plan matched to your stage, with a re-exam date so progress is measured, not guessed
If you've had nerve conduction studies, an ultrasound or blood work, bring the reports.
What causes hand numbness?
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage on the palm side of the wrist. Nine finger tendons and the median nerve run through it, and the space can't expand, so when anything inside swells, the nerve gets squeezed. Symptoms are often worse at night because pressure in the tunnel rises when the wrist is bent, and most people sleep with their wrists curled. Shaking the hand straightens the wrist, which is why it helps.
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Carpal tunnel numbness covers the thumb, index, middle and half the ring finger, and usually spares the little finger and the base of the palm. Numbness in the little finger points to the ulnar nerve, usually at the elbow. Numbness in the whole hand or down the arm points to the neck, and numbness in both hands and both feet points to a nerve problem elsewhere in the body. That's why mapping the fingers comes first.
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Risk rises with age, and it's more common in women and with higher body weight, diabetes, an underactive thyroid, inflammatory arthritis, pregnancy and old wrist fractures. Forceful, repetitive and vibrating work carries more risk than ordinary keyboard use. In pregnancy it very often clears up after delivery.
Why See Seay Wellness for Carpal Tunnel
Exam before treatment
You see Dr. Seay at every visit, from the first exam to discharge. Nothing is treated until the exam shows where your symptoms are coming from.
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Care matched to your stage
Symptoms that come and go with normal strength are the stage where conservative care works best: a night splint that holds the wrist straight, keeping the wrist closer to neutral at work, less forceful gripping and vibration, and hands-on care for the wrist, forearm, elbow and neck when they're part of the picture. I set a six-week check and measure honestly. If you're not improving, I'll refer you to the right specialist for the next step. Constant numbness, weakness or a thinning thumb pad means a surgical opinion now, not later.
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Measured progress
How many nights a week numbness wakes you, whether it's there during the day, your grip and pinch strength, and the tasks that are hard, like buttons or holding a phone, are recorded at the start and again at re-exam.
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Straight answers
If your exam points to advanced nerve compression, a problem in your neck or elbow, or signs that need blood work, nerve testing or a surgeon, I'll tell you and refer you. Conservative care doesn't fix advanced carpal tunnel, and I won't pretend it does.
Questions About Carpal Tunnel
Q: Do I need a referral?
A: No. You can book directly by calling 919-662-0520 or through Schedule Appointment at the top of this page.
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Q: Will a wrist brace fix it?
A: A night splint is cheap, low risk and a reasonable first step when symptoms come and go. Wear it at night; daytime splinting gets in the way and adds little. If you're not clearly better after about six weeks, it's time to take the next step rather than keep waiting.
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Q: Do I need surgery?
A: Not usually at the early stage. In a trial of 176 people, success rates at 18 months were 90% with surgery and 75% with splinting, and 41% of the splint group had gone on to surgery anyway. If you have constant numbness, weakness or a thinning thumb pad, a surgical opinion shouldn't wait.
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Q: Should I take vitamin B6?
A: The evidence doesn't support B6 as a treatment for carpal tunnel, and high doses over time can cause nerve numbness of their own. If you take it, including in a B complex or an energy drink, know the actual dose.