A recent study published in the journal Nutrients explores vitamin D's role in managing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Study: The role of vitamin D in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: clinical and electroneuromyographic responses . Image Credit: Alliance Images / Shutterstock.
com CTS is among the most prevalent peripheral neuropathies affecting the wrist anatomy. It causes compression of the median nerve, a large nerve that innervates the arm, forearm, and hand. This compression causes the affected individual to feel pain, numbness, or tingling along the upper limb area affected by the pressure.
Furthermore, CTS often leads to weakened grip and hand function. Obesity, diabetes, repetitive stress injury, rheumatoid inflammation, pregnancy, and genetic factors interact to increase the risk of CTS. CTS typically affects those between 40 and 60 years; however, the condition can also affect individuals of other ages.
Women are twice as likely to have CTS as men, with 193 and 88 women and men affected for every 1,000,000, respectively. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that regulates calcium and phosphorus metabolism and immunologic function. It is also crucial for endocrine, cardiovascular, skeletal, and skin health and is associated with metabolic and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties.
Thus, vitamin D deficiency could potentiate several neuropathic or pain syndromes associated with increased inflammation. Vitamin D deficiency also enhances symptom severity in CTS. .
