Michael Dam, D.C.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a very common complaint often associated with repetitive motion-related jobs. There are nine tendons traveling down the arm from the elbow that "merge" or come together in the relatively tight carpal tunnel, kind of like when four lanes of traffic suddenly narrow into one lane. We all know what happens [..]

We have discussed the topic of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) exercises previously but because this topic is so important, it warrants another look at this subject from a different perspective. Please keep in mind there are many exercises that will help patients with CTS, including a general, aerobic exercise program. In other words, just staying [..]

The cause of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is commonly associated with repetitive motions or working long hours with fast hand movements such as on an assembly line or food packing line, serving tables, or using a computer keyboard and mouse. However, there are many other possible causes that are less commonly discussed such as pregnancy [..]

There are many different exercises that can be done for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and we’ve discussed some of these in the past.To understand "why" gliding exercises are helpful, let’s review the anatomy of the carpal tunnel. There are 9 tendons that move through the narrow carpal tunnel at the wrist. This confined space is [..]

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is one of many repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) and it’s also one of the most common present day workplace injuries, second only to low back pain! The term "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" was first used in 1939 and since the 1950s, this disabling overuse injury to the hand has been one of [..]

For those of you who have had carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), you probably know all about braces. These are devices worn on the wrist that stop you from bending the wrist up or down. They may be worn anytime of the day if they don’t interfere too much with one’s current activity but are especially [..]

So what IS carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)? According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (National Institutes of Health), CTS occurs as a result of the median nerve, which is located in the middle of the forearm and hand on the palm side, getting pinched or squeezed at the wrist. This results in [..]

There are many jobs that place people at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but we bet you wouldn’t have thought of musicians. First and most important, we don’t want to scare anyone from playing a musical instrument as many of us find music to be a very important release mechanism or an escape from [..]

That’s a strange question….well, maybe not as crazy as it sounds! Knowing what isn’t carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS, may help you avoid an unnecessary surgery for a condition that looks very similar to CTS. Because CTS is such a common problem, it’s not uncommon for other conditions to be mistakenly called CTS. Because of [..]

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition where a nerve (the median nerve) is compressed in a relatively tight or restricted space (called the carpal tunnel), resulting in altered nerve function that includes numbness and weakness. In order to fully understand CTS, let’s devote this article to better understanding the anatomy of the carpal tunnel.The [..]