Getting Rid of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Five All-Natural Treatments

Your carpal tunnel refers to the space in your wrist through which nerves and tendons run between your forearm and hand. Sometimes this space gets closed off and pressure is increased on the nerves passing through the tunnel leading to many possible symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, and stiffness in the hand, fingers or forearm. There are many causes of CTS including pregnancy, trauma, repetitive motions involving the wrist and certain diseases. But what it all comes down to is that the space in your wrist gets closed off and the nerves passing through the tunnel get impinged.

The following are some things that you can do to help relieve the symptoms of CTS

 1. Modify your activities –  Make sure you give yourself plenty of breaks and try to keep your wrist in a neutral position with respect to the activity that you are doing. So for example, if excessive typing is causing your CTS, then make sure your keyboard is at such a level that the wrists are straight when typing. 

2. Apply ice – Many find considerable relief from applying ice to the wrists. Ice works to reduce inflammation and swelling thus providing relief. Apply ice for 15 minutes every 2-3 hours as needed.

3. Take NSAIDs – Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen can be taken to reduce swelling in the wrist. By reducing the swelling, more space is created in the carpal tunnel, thus taking pressure off of the nerves.

4. Wear a night brace – You can wear a brace at night to keep your wrist straight while you sleep. This keeps the carpal tunnel as open as possible reducing pressure on the nerves.

5. Chiropractic Adjustments – If the aforementioned fail to relieve your symptoms, Chiropractic adjustments are another option to get pressure off the carpal tunnel and thus the nerves. By adjusting the small bones of the wrist, we are able to normalize wrist function and thus reduce pain, numbness or tingling resulting from CTS.

If you or someone you know is suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, we may

be able to help you at Health Quest through chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture or family medicine. Call us today to schedule an evaluation at 573-635-9655.

Yours in health,

Dr. Ted Tang D.C.