Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, how to live with it and ease the symptoms

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a disorder that affects the median nerve in the wrist. The syndrome can cause a tingling sensation and pain in the hand and the wrist due to pressure on the nerve. The median nerve and tendons are located along the forearm and runs all the way to the hand. The nerve and tendons then go through a small space in the wrist referred to as the carpal tunnel.

Things You Will Need

Ice packs
Wrist brace

Step 1

The movement of the first three fingers and thumb on the hand are controlled by the median nerve. The pressure on this nerve is caused from swelling which causes the tunnel to become smaller in size. Obesity, pregnancy, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and injury can cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

Step 2

Weakness, pain, numbness, and tingling are all common physical complaints with carpal tunnel syndrome. Your physician can run different nerve tests as well as order specific blood tests to help determine if you have problems related to the carpal tunnel. The doctor can also determine quite a bit by examining the hand, wrist, and forearm areas.

Step 3

The sooner a diagnosis can be made and treatment started the better results you will have with keeping the symptoms under control and can even eliminate the situation altogether. Some of the things you can start immediately at home consist of resting the wrist in between activities, applying ice to the wrist for 20 minutes, two times per hour, wearing a wrist brace at night, keeping the wrist in a neutral position, and using the entire hands to pick up objects instead of doing so with just your fingers. Also be sure to keep the wrists straight and the hands a bit higher than the wrists when doing such tasks as typing. Be sure to relax your shoulders when your arms are at their sides. Be sure to switch hands often when doing repetitive movement activities.

Step 4

There are a number of alternative therapies many people swear by. These include chiropractics, ultra-sound, hydrotherapy, stretching, and physical therapy. Ultrasound reduces the pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome as it is able to reach the soft tissue areas. Hydrotherapy increases circulation by applying heat for 3 minutes and followed by cold for 3 minutes. Acupuncture has shown excellent results with treating carpal tunnel syndrome. Adding vitamin B6 to your daily intake of supplements has also been shown to have positive effects.

By obtaining a proper diagnosis as soon as possible and working closely with your physician, it is possible to relieve a lot of the difficulties with carpal tunnel syndrome and many times even eliminate it altogether. Including alternative therapies with your standard treatment plan is very beneficial and only increases the chance of success.