Helping Hands Heal since 2005
Does Stress Cause Carpal Tunnel?
From Dr. Z - Carpal tunnel syndrome specialist
Does Stress Cause Carpal Tunnel?
Stress can indeed cause carpal syndrome. But it does so indirectly by leading to poor posture and muscle tension. Stress and anxiety can cause muscle tension, particularly in the upper body, leading to poor posture and unbalanced forces being transmitted down to the wrist. These, then can exert pressure on the median nerve inside your wrist. The result is carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Think you have carpal tunnel? Complimentary self-test
- Already know you have carpal tunnel? This Quiz tells you its severity
Primary causes of carpal tunnel
The links between carpal tunnel syndrome and certain risk factors are solidly established. These risk factors include:
- Small wrist anatomy: Having a thinner wrist (and narrower carpal tunnel passageway) than other people.
- High risk jobs & hobbies: Certain occupations, such as those requiring harmful hand activities like repetitive grasping.
- Using vibrating equipment: Using electric hand tools, motorcycle riding, and lawnmowers are just a few risk factors.
- Family history: If a parent or sibling has carpal tunnel, your chances increase greatly.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Having this chronic inflammatory condition puts you at much higher risk of getting carpal tunnel.
- Pregnancy: This also puts you at much higher risk of getting carpal tunnel, primarily in the third trimester.
Secondary causes of carpal tunnel
Other risk factors are less well-established. However, the scientific evidence is strong for the following risk factors:
- Emotional stress: The link between stress and carpal tunnel is the association between emotions and posture. This is discussed below.
- Poor posture: Slouching or tensing your shoulders can disrupt the natural alignment of your body, putting extra pressure on the carpal tunnel and the median nerve.
- Hormonal effects: Stress can trigger the release of hormones that can contribute to inflammation and swelling, further compressing the median nerve.
- Psychological impact:
Carpal tunnel syndrome can also have psychological consequences, such as sleep disturbances, feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, and stress related to work under-performance or job loss.
Emotion, stress and posture
The mind-body connection
Science already understands that the stresses and forces inside the carpal tunnel are purely physical - not emotional. They're related solely to tendon swelling and nerve compression. So how do emotions contribute to tendon swelling?
The answer lies in what emotions do to your entire body. We know that the mind can produce biochemical and physical changes throughout the body. This mind-body connection has long been an established medical phenomenon. This is why emotional stress affects how we sit, stand, carry ourselves, and even speak.
Workstation and posture
The National Institutes of Health warns that carpal tunnel and computer exposure are linked. For instance, you may have poor posture when using a keyboard and mouse. This problem was especially pronounced since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was common form work-at home staff to sit on a couch, floor, or bed while doing computer work.
Thus, people who work at home generally tend to have poor posture when on a computer. As a result, they have a much higher incidence of musculoskeletal disorders, including carpal tunnel syndrome.
Incorrect or poor posture at the workstation produces hand pain, numbness, and other signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. That’s because the unbalanced forces in the neck, shoulder, and upper arm are transmitted to the wrist joint.
Therefore, any unbalanced force can disturb the wrist’s natural anatomy. Consequently, the disturbance affects pressure on the median nerve. That also means changing how you sit at your workstation can prevent painful problems from occurring.
Poor posture & stress can cause carpal tunnel
Work deadlines, pressure to produce, and other workplace tensions are the source of stress and anxiety. Indeed, most people ignore their posture at the workstation and focus ONLY on getting the job done.
If you're stressed and anxious, your attention is not on maintaining good posture. As a result:
- You slouch in your chair
- You hunch your shoulders
- You have general upper body muscle tensing
The abnormal forces these create are transmitted to the arm and hand, and ultimately to the wrist joint. If you're prone to getting carpal tunnel syndrome, all it takes is this slight "extra" disturbance for tendons to swell and crush the median nerve. Carpal tunnel syndrome then results.
The link is indirect but clear
Stress & Anxiety → Poor Posture → Disturbs Body Mechanics → Unbalances Forces in the Wrist → Increases Median Nerve Compression → Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Think you have carpal tunnel? Complimentary self-test
- Already know you have carpal tunnel? This Quiz tells you its severity
Already have carpal tunnel warning signs?
Did your own anxiety and stress cause carpal tunnel? Maybe you don't have stress but still have symptoms and warning signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. If so, attack the root cause of the problem right now. The last thing you want is for carpal tunnel to progress to the severe stage.
To permanently eliminate carpal tunnel, the inflammation around the median nerve must be reduced. This can be achieved in one of two ways:
- Surgical: Carpal tunnel release surgery is successful in about about 50% of patients.
- Non-surgical: The following non-surgical remedies are successful in most patients, and should be performed simultaneously; night bracing, stretching exercises, and myofascial release massage.