Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief Now

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

There are several causes for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  Some causes are more common than others but all of them (except for a broken wrist) involve your whole body.  What makes me say this?

Because every part of your body is attached to every other part.

If you wiggle your toes or your ankle, it's attached to your neck.  The muscles in your neck attach to your shoulder girdle (bones) and so do your arm muscles.  Every cell in your body interacts in some way with all of the other cells.

So the causes for your carpal tunnel

Does Chiropractic Treatment Help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Does Chiropractic treatment help get rid of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)?  This question came from a reader.

Here's the Question:

"Do you think chiropractic can help with wrist pain and CTS because, as you said, CTS is a whole body issue. Chiropractic tries to make the whole body in alignment with a focus on the spine. I'm not a chiropractor so I don't really know what I'm talking about." =)

Here's my Response:

(I'm not a chiropractor either, so here are my best thoughts.)

1. If a wrist or bones in the hand are dislocated (not broken) and a chiropractor

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Can Be Helped With Yoga

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Yoga?  I interviewed a Registered Nurse (RN) who is also a Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher.  She said, Yes!  Yoga can help get rid of the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, yoga helps (but they didn't know why.)  Well, the reason is because your whole body is attached to your carpal tunnel.  If you get your body more in "balance" lots of complaints and symptoms will go away.

My guest also quoted a medical research study which compared patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome who studied yoga to patients who wore a wrist brace.  Guess which had the most benefit?  :-)  The yoga group!

You see, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a whole body issue and yoga is a whole body "treatment." That's why yoga helps.

Yoga has many benefits for your whole body and relieving your carpal tunnel symptoms is just one of them.  You can learn to do yoga in classes in your community or in the privacy of your home.  Online classes are available at http://YogaConfidence.com.

Can Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Happen In Only One Hand?

If your carpal tunnel symptoms are only in one hand it is called "unilateral" Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  Unilateral means on one side.  I would guess that most often one-sided symptoms might happen from an accident or from stretching to reach a mouse or tool (which strains arm muscles and causes hand pain.)

But something else can cause unilateral carpal tunnel symptoms. 

It doesn't happen often, but sometimes there is a growth in the palm side of the hand.  Anything that presses on the median nerve (the nerve that runs through the opening in your wrist called the carpal tunnel) can cause carpal tunnel symptoms.

The growth may be called a "mass" or a lipoma.  It's generally fatty tissue and wouldn't be a problem at all unless it causes symptoms of pain, burning, numbness or tingling for you. 

The connective tissue on your palm

Thumb and Finger Pain - Could It Be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Pain in your thumb and finger pain may be part of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome but it can also be caused by muscles in your upper chest (between your breastbone and arm), on your ribs (under your arm pit), near your elbow in your lower arm (on the palm side) or in your hand. 

Trigger Points are hyper-irritable or crabby areas of muscle that send pain elsewhere on your body. 

And trigger points can develop in your chest, ribs, arm and hands.  They can cause thumb and finger pain.  That's good news!  Why?

When the muscles that cause pain in your hand are unhappy, you can "treat" them (push into them or massage them) to help them feel happier.  When they are happy, you will be happy, too!

Massaging your own hands when you

Pillows and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Does Your Neck Cause Your Carpal Tunnel Symptoms?

Neck muscles definitely can cause carpal tunnel symptoms.  You can find an article about that in the "Category" on the right hand side called "Causes of Carpal Tunnel Symptoms."

Here's an e-mail I received (that I love) and my response.  It's about pillows.  A good pillow that supports the natural curve in your neck can make a world of difference.  It helps keep all of your muscles balanced so they don't cause symptoms.

"I do declare my symptoms are diminishing and i don't have any more numbness or tingling in my hands, I have been working with my massage therapist exclusively and she has done wonders, she thinks its a trigger in my neck, so we are going to start maintenance work every few weeks on my neck to make sure the symptoms stay away. She suggested that I might try and get a microfoam pillow to help with my neck--do you know a good brand, I have had my main pillow for years and its hard to part with, but I'm willing to try a new pillow, any suggestions? Thanks for all your help and tips--they help tremendously!"

I LOVE it that she took action and is doing so well!

Here's my response:

"Tempurpedic makes a memory foam pillow that

Carpal Tunnel Surgery vs. Natural Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief

Should you have surgery for your carpal tunnel symptoms or should you try all of the natural ways to relieve your symptoms first?

My recommendation is always to try the least invasive thing first.  None of the natural methods of symptom relief cause permanent changes in your body.  Surgery does.

Today I received two e-mails from women who had carpal tunnel symptoms.

The first woman said:

"It seems nothing is helping my carpal tunnel in my hand. I have tried everything and I mean EVERYTHING. It seems the operation is the only answer. Its no good listening to people talk about it, it is a waste of space. Sorry, but honestly the op seems the only way out. I don't know what you think."

I wished her well with her surgery and suggested she continue trying the natural relief methods because if the surgery doesn't work (or continue to work) it's because the actual cause was overlooked.  I also suggested she go to the Video Category here and look for the mini-release surgical video.

The second woman said:

"I do declare my symptoms are diminishing and i don't have any more numbness or

Stretching Your Chest To Relieve Your Carpal Tunnel Symptoms

Stretching your chest muscles is a very good way to begin relieving your carpal tunnel symptoms.  When you stretch and relax your chest and allow your shoulders to drop back, you will experience a lot of other health benefits, too.  "Opening" your chest muscles takes can take pressure of the parts of your body that cause your carpal tunnel symptoms.

Watch the whole video before you begin this movement.  You will discover how to come out of this position at the end.

You can use a rolled up towel as a "roll" and folded towels or small pillows for your head support. 

You may have to start with a smaller roll than the instructor uses.  That's easy to do with a towel:  Simply don't roll the whole towel.