What is Radial Tunnel Syndrome?

Radial tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes pain along the top of your forearm and in your hand.

Radial Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that causes pain along the top of your forearm and in your hand. 

It’s caused by pressure on a nerve in your arm called the radial nerve.

The radial nerve, one of three nerves that provide motor and sensory function to the arm, is part of the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system sends signals from your brain to your arms and fingers, lower limbs, skin and internal organs.

The radial nerve begins at the brachial plexus : a network of nerves in the shoulder that carries movement and sensory signals from the spinal cord to the arms and hands. The radial nerve extends downward to the wrist and into the hand, branching several times to provide movement to the muscles of the dorsal arm and sensation to the skin covering the forearm and the back of the hand. It is involved in extension of the arm, wrist and finger as well as supination (outward rotation) of the forearm.

Brachial plexus injuries typically stem from trauma to the neck, and can cause pain, weakness and numbness in the arm and hand. Compression of the radial nerve results in Radial Tunnel Syndrome.

In comparison to Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Radial Tunnel Syndrome is the least common of the three.

What causes Radial Tunnel Syndrome?

At the lateral aspect of the elbow, the radial nerve branches into the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) and enters the radial tunnel.

The radial tunnel is formed by bone and the muscles used for the supination of the forearm.

Most frequently, Radial Tunnel Syndrome occurs from compression in the proximal forearm associated with these muscles.

Bone fractures, trauma to the soft tissues surrounding the nerve, or repetitive motion resulting in inflammation of the muscle can all result in Radial Tunnel Syndrome.

 

What are the symptoms of Radial Tunnel Syndrome?

The radial nerve is the most frequently injured nerve in the upper extremity, especially in patients with multiple injuries.

The most common symptom is pain in the forearm a couple of inches below the elbow.

Generally, the pain will increase with activity, heavy lifting, or by extending the elbow and pronating (inward rotation) the forearm.

The pain can be described as achy, and is occasionally associated with muscle weakness and may worsen at night.

However, there can be a wide range of symptoms from weakness to complete paralysis of the elbow, forearm, wrist, finger, and thumb extension, failure of forearm supination, thumb abduction, and triceps reflex abolition, with or without sensory deficit in the back side of the forearm and in back and radial side of the hand.

The loss of active extension of the wrist removes the mechanical advantage to grab things and grip hard.

Treatment

Nerve injuries can affect your everyday movement, especially if you enjoy an active lifestyle. If you’re experiencing numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain from a nerve injury, there is an alternative to surgery that can help you feel and move better – faster.

Traditionally, the treatment options for nerve injuries have been physical therapy, bracing, steroid injections – which damage tissue – or surgery. Thankfully, these are no longer the only treatment solutions for nerve injuries.

In recent years, evidence has been accumulating in both preclinical and clinical settings indicating that PRP, or Platelet Rich Plasma, injections are more effective than other conservative treatments in relieving pain, improving wrist function and reducing the swelling associated with Radial Tunnel Syndrome. Similarly, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome have been shown to respond well to PRP injections.

PRP injections are injections of plasma –the liquid part of your blood which has a higher concentration of platelets. A sample of your blood is taken then spun in a special type of centrifuge that concentrates the blood’s own platelets These platelets contain proteins called growth factors which are important in the body’s own healing mechanism. With a higher concentration of growth factors than typically found in blood, PRP injections can accelerate the healing and regenerative processes helping to reduce inflammation and pain. Since it is your own blood being used, unlike some treatments, PRP therapy has an extremely low risk of negative side-effects or allergic reaction. PRP injections can promote healing and restore feeling and movement by boosting your body’s natural healing process.

PRP therapy takes time to work. It is not like a steroid shot that will make you feel better right away. You may feel more pain at first, since we are causing swelling in the area that was already sore. The swelling is needed for the blood cells to start helping you heal for the long term.

Is PRP better than cortisone?

Cortisone Injections have immediate pain relief but are primarily a temporary solution. With PRP on the other hand, it offers not only pain relief also tissue regeneration and healing but has a longer healing and pain relief time.

How BioMed can help

Claudia, your BioMed Health Care Professional, is a fully trained PRP Practitioner with several years of experience in treating a variety of conditions with PRP – with very successful outcomes.

For more information about PRP Therapy please follow the LINK

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