Carpal tunnels syndrome is a syndrome that can be very painful indeed and can interfere with life and functioning. It has a broad range of effects, from mild tingling in the wrists, fingers and hands to severe pain that interferes with functioning or even completely disables the sufferer. In the vast majority of cases, carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated, but in some cases, those treatments may be invasive and painful.
How does one treat carpal tunnel syndrome? It depends on how severe your condition is and what may work best for you. In most cases, a wrist brace is first recommended to immobilize the wrist so that the median nerve is not further irritated. Most often, though, the brace is usually worn during sleep and not during the day. This can mean that hands and wrists are allowed to go through the normal ranges of motion during the day, which can exacerbate symptoms further. Therefore, it's recommended that one curtail the use of affected hands and wrists as much is possible during the period of healing. This may mean not using your dominant hand (assuming that that's the one that has carpal tunnel syndrome) to brush your teeth, open and close the door, write, type, and so on. And of course, this can be very inconvenient and disabling in and of itself.
In most cases, the brace is worn for about two weeks, and the treatment can be combined with use of anti-inflammatories like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen sodium. One company has also developed a device that is purportedly similar to the standard brace but is more flexible and fits better. It also gently pulls on the swollen inflamed areas so that the pressure on the median nerve is reduced and therefore symptoms are also reduced.
If you use keyboards a lot at work it's recommended that you get an ergonomic keyboard. Also get a wrist pad. Your hands, wrists, and elbows should always be aligned and parallel to the floor when you're typing. You should take 10-minute breaks about every hour and during that time for a walk and massage your hands. Massage your hands a few times while at home, too.
If pain and other symptoms persist, a doctor might prescribe you cortisol medication. These contain steroids and can't be bought OTC. If you reach this stage, you might want to look into some other treatment options for your CTS, too. Chiropractic medicine has been shown to have some success with CTS, and may involved ultrasound as well as joint (and spinal) manipulation. Likewise, acupuncture treatment programs have been officially recognized as being able to help with CTS. But, these treatments involve more than just acupuncture itself. They also include dietary practices and herbal treatments. Laser acupuncture or the traditional needles may be used.
If all else fails, you may have to go in for surgery. The surgery could be endoscopic or just full-open. Either way,the transverse carpal nerve gets cut to relieve the symptoms. This does not seem to harm the hand's motion abilities or strength, but there can be scarring from the procedure. You will also experience pain and swelling in the hand immediately after the surgery. And although uncommon, there can be some very bad complications from the surgery including nerve damage.
Therefore, surgery is usually used as a last resort; perhaps the best method to help prevent CTS or minimize its symptoms is to do special exercises that will both prevent and sometimes treat CTS symptoms. They don't require you to take any medication, they are not invasive, and they cost you nothing except for some time on your part. Try these before you opt for other more invasive, inconvenient or expensive methods. - 30453
How does one treat carpal tunnel syndrome? It depends on how severe your condition is and what may work best for you. In most cases, a wrist brace is first recommended to immobilize the wrist so that the median nerve is not further irritated. Most often, though, the brace is usually worn during sleep and not during the day. This can mean that hands and wrists are allowed to go through the normal ranges of motion during the day, which can exacerbate symptoms further. Therefore, it's recommended that one curtail the use of affected hands and wrists as much is possible during the period of healing. This may mean not using your dominant hand (assuming that that's the one that has carpal tunnel syndrome) to brush your teeth, open and close the door, write, type, and so on. And of course, this can be very inconvenient and disabling in and of itself.
In most cases, the brace is worn for about two weeks, and the treatment can be combined with use of anti-inflammatories like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen sodium. One company has also developed a device that is purportedly similar to the standard brace but is more flexible and fits better. It also gently pulls on the swollen inflamed areas so that the pressure on the median nerve is reduced and therefore symptoms are also reduced.
If you use keyboards a lot at work it's recommended that you get an ergonomic keyboard. Also get a wrist pad. Your hands, wrists, and elbows should always be aligned and parallel to the floor when you're typing. You should take 10-minute breaks about every hour and during that time for a walk and massage your hands. Massage your hands a few times while at home, too.
If pain and other symptoms persist, a doctor might prescribe you cortisol medication. These contain steroids and can't be bought OTC. If you reach this stage, you might want to look into some other treatment options for your CTS, too. Chiropractic medicine has been shown to have some success with CTS, and may involved ultrasound as well as joint (and spinal) manipulation. Likewise, acupuncture treatment programs have been officially recognized as being able to help with CTS. But, these treatments involve more than just acupuncture itself. They also include dietary practices and herbal treatments. Laser acupuncture or the traditional needles may be used.
If all else fails, you may have to go in for surgery. The surgery could be endoscopic or just full-open. Either way,the transverse carpal nerve gets cut to relieve the symptoms. This does not seem to harm the hand's motion abilities or strength, but there can be scarring from the procedure. You will also experience pain and swelling in the hand immediately after the surgery. And although uncommon, there can be some very bad complications from the surgery including nerve damage.
Therefore, surgery is usually used as a last resort; perhaps the best method to help prevent CTS or minimize its symptoms is to do special exercises that will both prevent and sometimes treat CTS symptoms. They don't require you to take any medication, they are not invasive, and they cost you nothing except for some time on your part. Try these before you opt for other more invasive, inconvenient or expensive methods. - 30453
About the Author:
Trying these simple carpal tunnel exercises, as provided by Thom Nicholson (noted CTS Guru), can help you avoid surgery and ease the pain caused by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome without invasive surgery. Help your body heal itself!
