Carpal Tunnel Treatment

What is Carpal Tunnel Treatment all about? In fact, what exactly is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome anyway? What is Repetitive Stress Injury? What are the causes? What are the usual Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms? Am I at risk? What can I do? Help!

If you’re anything like me, these are just some of the questions racing around in your mind, and I’m sure you’ve plenty more of your own!

What is Carpal Tunnel Treatment all about?

There are a wide range of options available for carpal tunnel treatment. Your doctor will advise you just exactly which of these is best for you. Many cases can be cured by recognizing the causes, making some simple changes to address these causes, and then following a system of exercises to cure the problem. This is the approach that I’m focussing on, and I hope that you can find the carpal tunnel relief that you are looking for here.

The other options that your physician may recommend will depend on your symptoms and the severity of the condition. Wearing a carpal tunnel splint, or a wrist support brace, particularly at night time, can be effective. Medication may also be prescribed, either in the form of anti-inflammatories to relieve the pain or, in more severe cases, cortisone injections. The last resort, where other interventions have not been successful, is carpal tunnel release surgery.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome anyway?

The carpal tunnel consists of several bones in the hand that are connected by ligaments. Various tendons, nerves and blood vessels runthrough this tunnel, and if some of these become swollen, this can put pressure on the median nerve, which is the main nerve in your hand. This pressure can also restrict blood flow to the hand. Usual symptoms include numbness in fingers, wrist pain, a reduction in dexterity, stiffness, weakness, cramping, tingling, and feelings of cold or burning.

What is Repetitive Stress Injury?

Also referred to as Repetitive Strain Injury, or RSI, this is a more general term for conditions caused by prolonged, repeated actions. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a specific disorder, usually an RSI brought on by repetitive hand movements.

What are the causes?

Restricted blood flow can often be a contibutory factor. In a muscle that is being tensed, blood flow is restricted, and can even be completely shut off. So if a muscle is repeatedly tensed, without a fresh supply of blood, it switches from operating aerobically to operating anaerobically, which leads to a build up of by products such as lactic acid that can cause cell damage, pain and fatigue. Tensed muscles also put pressure on adjacent nerves. Repeated tensing of the hand can also cause damage to the tendons, leading to tendonitis.

Am I at risk?

Anyone using their hands to perform repeated or forceful actions may be at risk. Carpal tunnel syndrome can develop over a long period, or can be caused by just a few incidents that create the problem. Those at risk include a wide range of workers, such as computer operators, assembly line workers, drivers, musicians, check out operators and construction workers.

What can I do?

As with many conditions, prevention is the best cure, so those at risk should be aware of their posture and the ergonomics of the task they are performing. Take regular breaks, stretch out the muscles, and exercise regularly to maintain proper blood flow to the hands and keep the circulation generally healthy.

Be aware of the causes and effects of repetitive stress injury, and typical carpal tunnel symptoms. Take action to relieve any RSI symptoms and prevent the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. A routine of exercises specifically designed to help with carpal tunnel syndrome treatment can be of great benefit. It is important to follow such a routine in a disciplined and systematic manner. Of course, if symptoms persist, then consult with a doctor or therapist as soon as possible.

However, many sufferers will find that following these simple and effective steps will provide effective carpal tunnel treatment.

One of the most effective forms of carpal tunnel treatment is to get in the habit of doing these quick and simple exercises regularly. This can help you to combat repetitive stress injury and to cure carpal tunnel syndrome naturally, without any need for medication or surgery.

Warm Up

Just like an athlete will warm up before exercise, it can be useful for you to warm up the relevant muscles before you settle into your workstation. You may be working at a computer, playing video games, practising a musical instrument, or working at any task that could cause repetitive stress injury and lead to carpal tunnel symptoms. Whichever the case, this warm up exercise can be of benefit.

1. Extend your arms out horizontally and bend your wrists back
2. Straighten your wrists out and relax your fingers
3. Pull your hands into tight fists
4. Bend your wrists down, keeping your fists tight
5. Straighten your wrists out again and relax your fingers

Let your arms hang loose and shake them out. Hold each position for a count of 5, and aim for 5 repetitions of this, 5 times a day.

Take a Break

While you are working, make a point of taking a quick break on a regular basis to do this exercise:

1. Pull your hands into tight fists
2. Release your fists, fan your fingers out and then stretch them

Again hold for 5 and go for 5 reps, as regularly as needed

Shoulder Stretch

These two simple shoulder exercises will aid your posture and help relieve any tension in your hands, wrists and arms:

1. Place your left hand on your right shoulder, and push down then slowly lean your head to the left. Repeat to the other side.
2. Let your hands hang down by your sides, then rotate your shoulders. First raise them up, then squeeze them back, stretch them down and finally move them forward again.

Try 5 reps x 5 count in each position x 5 times a day again for these exercises.

Fist Stretch

1. Hold your hands out straight
2. Form a ‘hook fist’ by pulling the tops of your fingers in to touch the base of your fingers
3. Stretch your hand out straight again
4. Form a ‘straight fist’ by pulling the tops of your fingers in to touch the base of your palm
5. Stretch your hand out straight again
6. Form a ‘full fist’ by pulling your fingers in tight
7. Finally stretch your hands out straight again

This time, go for 10 reps by a 10 count in each position, again 5 times a day.

Thumb Stretch

1. Form your hand into a loose fist
2. Stretch your fingers and thumb out as far as you can
3. Bend back your wrist and stretch your thumb away from your palm
4. Turn your hand palm side up
5. With your other hand, gently pull your thumb back
6. Return your hand to the loose fist position

Try repeating this one 3 times, holding each position for a count of 3, again 5 times a day.

Finally, try to find time in your daily routine, not just for these carpal tunnel exercises, but for regular aerobic physical exercise too, and also make sure you follow a healthy, balanced diet. This will help to keep your circulation flowing properly, and boost your immune system, helping keep you in good condition. The best way to get carpal tunnel treatment is to give your body the chance to do it naturally!

Do you think you’re at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome? Are you thinking about carpal tunnel treatment? There are many circumstances that can cause this condition, from overwork to bone fractures. Even if you’re just unsure as to whether or not you have this disease, learning more about carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms can’t hurt, especially as the beginning symptoms are commonly misdiagnosed.

What causes carpal tunnel syndrome? There is an area in the forearm referred to as the median nerve. If this area is exposed to prolonged pressure, the typical carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms can develop. This results in feelings of numbness or tingling in the thumb, forefinger, middle finger, and ring finger. Many patients experience this the most often during the night, and it grows so intense that it actually wakes them up. Some, however, continue to be ignorant of the symptoms and dismiss them as being due to poor circulation or fatigue.

Without carpal tunnel treatment, your symptoms will grow progressively worse. The sense of numbness and tingling will continue throughout the day. Over time, you may experience sharp, stabbing pains lancing up your forearm. Your fingers will feel clumsy and swollen, even if they’re the same size as they usually are. In severe cases, you may even damage your sense of touch. Your sense of mobility erodes to the point where your fingers can barely move, particularly your thumb.

However, there are ways to treat and prevent carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. For one, if you work in an office, taking regular breaks and exercising good posture is a wonderful way to ensure your median nerves stay untouched. You can help promote this posture by purchasing small pads for your wrists to rest on as you type or use your mouse. There are also specialized keyboards that minimize the movement of your wrists, so reducing the risk of repetitive stress injury. However, as this involves learning an entire new way to type, many patients avoid this step.

You can also keep your wrists straight by using braces or splints. These come in thousands of different designs depending on the state of your carpal tunnel symptoms. You can use a brace that’s simply padded in gel or foam for a soft, comfortable fit that keeps your wrists straight, or you can use a splint to minimize movement a bit more and reduce pain.

If you think you might have carpal tunnel syndrome – or if you know you do – find out exactly what you should do by visiting the Carpal Tunnel Secrets Unleashed website today. The important thing is to act now. It simply isn’t worth the pain to leave it untreated. Learn more about carpal tunnel treatment today!

Welcome to our Carpal Tunnel Treatment website. We’ll be bringing you detailed reviews of the all the best in carpal tunnel treatment currently available, and lots of useful information to help you to end wrist pain from tendonitis, repetitive stress injury and carpal tunnel syndrome.