Conditions We Treat
Carpal Tunnel Treatment in Utah
Numb, tingling fingers and a hand that drops things are signs of a nerve under pressure, and surgery is not the only way to relieve it. Find out whether it is the wrist, the neck, or both, and which treatment fits.
What Carpal Tunnel Is
Why Your Hand Goes Numb
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage in the wrist where the median nerve and nine tendons pass into the hand. When the tissue around them swells, from repetitive motion, wrist position, pregnancy, arthritis, or conditions like diabetes and thyroid disease, the nerve is squeezed. The result is numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers, hand weakness, dropped objects, and pain that can travel up the forearm, often worse at night.
Not all hand numbness is carpal tunnel. A pinched nerve in the neck, tendonitis at the elbow, and arthritis at the base of the thumb can mimic it, and sometimes two are happening at once. Because the treatments differ, the exam needs to check the wrist, the elbow, and the neck, not just the wrist.
What most people are offered is a night splint, then a steroid injection, then a surgical release. Those steps have their place, but many cases respond to non-surgical care that relieves the pressure and calms the inflamed tissue, especially when it starts early.
Don't Wait It Out
Signs It's Time to Get Your Hand Pain Evaluated
- Numbness or tingling in the thumb and first two or three fingers, especially at night
- Shaking your hand out to “wake it up” has become a habit
- Weak grip, dropping objects, or trouble with buttons and small tasks
- Pain or tingling that travels from the wrist up the forearm
- A splint or medication that helps for a while but never resolves it
Nerve compression is easier to reverse early. Constant numbness or visible shrinking of the muscle at the base of the thumb means the nerve has been under pressure for a long time, and that is the point to get in, not to wait.
The Full Toolbox
Carpal Tunnel Treatment, From Conservative to Advanced
At Integrated Pain Specialists, medical providers, chiropractors, and physical therapists work under one roof, so your plan is built from the whole toolbox rather than one specialty’s answer.
Free the nerve. Physical therapy uses nerve gliding exercises, wrist and forearm stretching, and activity changes to reduce pressure in the tunnel, and chiropractic care addresses the wrist, elbow, and neck joints that contribute.
Calm the inflammation. Class IV laser therapy and soft tissue therapy reduce swelling around the tendons and nerve, without medication.
Settle a severe flare. When symptoms are intense, targeted injections from our medical providers quiet the inflammation so the rest of the plan can take hold.
Regenerative options. For appropriate candidates, regenerative medicine may support the body’s own repair process.
Our Hand and Wrist Program
Get Your Grip Back
Every plan starts with a thorough exam of the wrist, forearm, elbow, and neck, and nerve testing when it is needed, to confirm where the median nerve is being compressed. From there we combine physical therapy, chiropractic care, laser therapy, and medical care into a schedule built around your case, not a one-size protocol.
Care is delivered at our Bountiful and South Jordan clinics, and your progress is measured at each stage so you can see the numbness fading and grip strength returning. The goal is lasting relief without surgery when that is possible, and an honest referral when it is not.
The Integrated Difference
One Team, One Plan, Every Option
You do not have to guess whether this is a wrist problem, a neck problem, or both. Our integrated team evaluates it together and builds one plan, whether that is physical therapy, chiropractic care, laser therapy, injections, or a combination. Your first consultation is free, and you will leave with an honest answer about what your hand needs.
Common Questions
Carpal Tunnel FAQs
What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the wrist. Repetitive hand motion, prolonged wrist flexion, swelling from injury or arthritis, pregnancy, and conditions such as diabetes and thyroid disease all raise the risk. An exam confirms the diagnosis and rules out a pinched nerve in the neck, which can cause similar symptoms.
Can carpal tunnel be treated without surgery?
Often, yes. Physical therapy with nerve gliding exercises, activity and wrist position changes, chiropractic care, laser therapy, and targeted injections relieve pressure and inflammation for many patients, especially when treatment starts early. Surgery is considered when symptoms are severe or do not respond to conservative care.
Is my hand numbness carpal tunnel or something else?
Carpal tunnel usually affects the thumb, index, and middle fingers and is worse at night. Numbness that includes the pinky, starts in the neck or shoulder, or comes with neck pain may be a pinched nerve in the neck or a problem at the elbow. An exam of the wrist, elbow, and neck tells them apart.
When should I see a doctor about hand numbness or wrist pain?
If numbness or tingling keeps coming back, wakes you at night, or you notice a weaker grip, it is time for an evaluation. Constant numbness or shrinking of the muscle at the base of the thumb are signs of longer-term nerve compression and should be seen promptly.
Do you take insurance for carpal tunnel treatment?
Most of our care is covered by many insurance plans, including Medicare. Coverage varies by insurer and individual policy, and our team verifies your benefits before any care begins.
Take the Next Step
Get an Honest Answer About Your Hand Pain
Start with a free consultation. Talk through your hand pain and your options, and decide whether our practice is a good fit, with no sales pitch. Bountiful or South Jordan.