Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive motions and can be painful, debilitating and even crippling. There are exercises and natural remedies that can relieve the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome and possibly heal the condition. Carpal tunnel syndrome is common and can make even simple tasks painful and difficult.
The Median Nerve and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome starts when the median nerve in the wrist becomes compressed inside of the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is an area of the wrist that is surrounded by bone on three sides and a fibrous sheath on the fourth side.
Along with the median nerve, many tendons also pass through the carpal tunnel. If the carpal tunnel becomes swollen and or irritated, it can cause the median nerve to press against the bone creating pain.
The Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Typing
- Texting
- Playing video games
- Driving for a job
- Playing a musical instrument
- Mechanics or plumbers who use a wrench in the same motion every day
- Crocheting and needlepoint
- Any other repetitive motion with the hand and wrist
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Many people first notice symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome in the middle of the night that can cause you to wake up in pain or upon waking in the morning. The symptoms are usually:
- Tingling of the fingers, hand and or wrist
- Numbness in the hand or fingers
- Dull pain in the wrist and the thumb area
- Inability to make a tight fist
- Dropping items like a pen or coffee cup or a weak feeling in your hands and fingers
- An occasional sudden involuntary jerking motion of your wrist
This pain can increase to severe pain of the wrist or the area where your thumb meets your wrist.
Exercises to Prevent or Relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
There are preventative measures and exercises that can prevent and relieve the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome. I have been typing on a computer since the early 1980s and have been able to avoid major carpal tunnel problems by doing these simple exercises.
- Take a short break every hour. Walk around and stretch by raising your arms out in front and above your head slowly, no need for sudden movements.
- Extend your arms outward or if more comfortable at your sides and spread your fingers and slowly rotate your wrist several times in a clockwise motion. This is known as wrist circles. Another way to explain this is to draw circles in the air with your fingers in a clockwise motion.
- Opening and closing your hands. Make a fist and open your fingers slowly into a fan position and repeat 5-10 times.
- Massage your forearm (the top and underside of your forearm) from where your thumb meets your wrist upwards.
Natural Remedies to Relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Certain vitamins and supplements can be helpful to relieve the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome and can sometimes cure the condition.
Vitamin B6 is thought to be a vitamin that can relieve the pain and problems of carpal tunnel syndrome.
There have not been many large studies on the effects of vitamin B6 and carpal tunnel, but there is some evidence vitamin B6 does help relieve the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome [1].
Studies have found that taking 100 - 200 mg of vitamin B6 per day does relieve the pain. A good complex B vitamin is also helpful.
Since B vitamins are water soluble, you should divide the dosage into twice a day. I have found taking a good multivitamin at breakfast and a B complex at dinner is helpful to relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
ALA is considered an antioxidant and our body makes ALA, you can also get more ALA eating red meat like grass-fed beef, liver and brewers yeast. GLA is an omega-6 fatty acid and since our bodies do not make it, we need to get it through diet or supplementation.
You get GLA through foods and supplements like evening primrose oil, black currant and Spirulina [3].
Small studies have also found that fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids can also relieve the pain of carpal tunnel. A healthy diet that contains plenty of phytochemicals can also help prevent and heal carpal tunnel syndrome.
Massage can also help relieve the pain of carpal tunnel. You can buy a cordless hand massagerthat also add compression. Not only can these machines relieve the pain, but also the numbness in the fingers.
Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Researchers randomized 80 patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel and separated them into three groups.
- The first group received acupuncture in the wrist and the ankle,
- The second group received acupuncture in the wrist only,
- And the third group received "sham" acupuncture, using fake needles as a placebo.
The first and second groups showed measurable relief physiological improvements in the brain and nerves, while the placebo group showed no improvements [3].
Ergonomics and Keyboards for Carpal Tunnel
Some suggest using a Dvorak Simplified Keyboard Layout instead of the usual QWERTY keyboard. Ergonomic keyboards can reduce carpal tunnel syndrome by 30% and the Dvorak layout can reduce wrist problems by an additional 30%.
Ergonomics is a big factor in preventing carpal tunnel syndrome. Having the right keyboard and the way you place your wrist and hand on the keyboard is helpful. A good chair and height to your keyboard for your hands is also important.
Wrist Braces and Gloves
If the pain from your carpal tunnel syndrome wakes you up at night, you could try a wrist brace to keep your wrist and hand straight during the night. This can help you get a better night sleep.
There are also carpal tunnel gloves you can wear at night and while you work during the day.
Cortisone Injections
Sometimes a doctor will advise cortisone injections to relieve the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome. But this will not heal the condition and could possibly make it worse since it only hides the actual pain of the injury. With any pain killer, a patient might continue their normal activities without pain, but also continue the bad habits that caused the injury in the first place and could cause the carpal tunnel to worsen.
Surgery for Carpal Tunnel
Surgery should be thought of an only a last option. It might help but it could also cause carpal tunnel pain to worsen. I have known people who did have surgery for carpal tunnel and their pain and loss of motion actually worsened. Surgery is a decision that should not to be taken lightly.
Other Repetitive Motion Injuries
Carpal tunnel syndrome is not the only repetitive motion injury. Pain can result in injury from bursitis and tendonitis. These injuries can be caused by throwing a ball, playing tennis, golf and other activities that cause repetitive motions and go by other names as tennis elbow, swimmer’s shoulder and golfer’s elbow.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Conclusion
It has been my experience that taking breaks, doing the stretching exercises, a good multivitamin with a B-complex vitamin and a healthy diet can help the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome and could also prevent carpal tunnel syndrome in the first place.
About the Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Copyright © November 2011-2019 Sam Montana
Resources:
[2] PubMed - Di Geronimo G, Caccese AF, Caruso L, Soldati A, Passaretti U. Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome with alpha-lipoic acid. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2009 Mar-Apr;13(2):133-9. PMID: 19499849..
[3] Brain Journal of Neurology - Rewiring the primary somatosensory cortex in carpal tunnel syndrome with acupuncture - Brain, Volume 140, Issue 4, April 2017, Pages 914–927, https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx015
