Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief Now

Trigger Points for Finger Pain in Middle Finger and Last Two Fingers

Finger pain can be caused by trigger points.  Trigger points are very irritable (or crabby) areas of muscle that cause pain elsewhere.  You might have trigger points in your neck muscles that cause carpal tunnel pain, for instance. 

In this illustration, you are looking at trigger points that cause pain in your middle and last two fingers on the palm side of your hand.

These are the trigger points in your lower arm which can cause pain in these fingers.  The "X" marks the place where you would apply pressure to relieve the specific pain locations that you see in these pictures. 

You can get rid of trigger points by pressing into them and holding for about 12 seconds.  If the discomfort from the pressure becomes less, you are releasing the trigger point. 

Good job!

Is There A Trigger Point To Massage For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Is there a trigger point to massage for carpal tunnel pain?  What a great question and the answer is YES! 

But not just one--there are lots of trigger points.  All kinds of possibilities exist for pressure on a nerve as it travels from your neck to your hand. 

1.  Here's one cause of carpal tunnel pain:  Nerves hate pressure no matter whether it is from a muscle or a bone.  So what do your muscles do?  They give you pain, numbness or tingling in your hand.  That is how they are telling you to "get that pressure off me!"

2.  Here's another cause:  There is also the possibility of trigger points causing

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

Trigger Finger: Is Your Finger Locked In A Closed Position?

Trigger finger is the term that's used when your finger becomes locked in the closed, or flexed, position.  This painless phenomenon can occur in any finger and in the thumb, too.  Your finger may "click" when you force it open. 

Muscles 101--Background:

Muscles are made up of two parts:  the belly of the muscle and the tendons.  The tendons are tough tissue (think of strapping tape) that attach a muscle to a bone.  Tendons run through a sheath or "tube" (like electrical wires in a plastic protective tube.)

The muscles that move your fingers into flexion (closing) are actually in your lower arm on the palm side and they run almost to the crease of your elbow.  The tendon end of the finger muscles attaches to your finger bones.  That's how you are able to move your fingers.

What causes trigger finger?

Using your hand for long periods of time with your fingers closed or clasped shut (the muscles are contracted) can cause your finger muscles to want to stay in a contracted position.  It's as though they are "stuck" in that position.  Heavy pressure into the area of the finger joints from use of something like a cane or oars can also cause trigger finger.

A possible reason for trigger finger is

How Can You Tell If The Muscles In Your Neck Are Causing Your Carpal Tunnel Symptoms?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be caused by the muscles in your neck.  Something is causing your symptoms and if they aren't responding to conventional therapies, these muscles may be the culprit. 

Bodies are very logical and we get pain for reasons.  We just have to figure out what the reason or cause is and get rid of it.  Then your symptoms will go away.

Here are two things:

1.  Go to http://www.carpaltunnelpainreliefnow.com/videos/

Look for the video called Scalene Muscle Video for Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief.
You will see the areas to be massaged as well as a technique.

2.  Here is the test to determine whether your scalene muscles are causing your carpal tunnel symptoms:

On your affected side,

Carpal Tunnel Questions and Answers

People with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome sometimes write with questions.  Here's one email with my response:

(Note:  Even though the author feels his symptoms came from lots of typing, a study by the National Institutes of Health says that's not a cause.  However, I don't know who the test subjects were or what their quality of health or lifestyle was.  People with perfect posture and healthy eating habits are less likely to get carpal tunnel syndrome.  Perhaps the participants were coached in using ergonomic posture.)

Here's the email:

Hi. I have been typing since junior high school. I retired from the U.S. Army after serving 20 years as an administrative specialist. Yes, typing and on the computer for YEARS! I was told by different doctors that I have carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis of both wrists. I am also a retired body builder so I did a lot of heavy training. But over the last few years I have been experiencing weakness now. I almost dropped my coffee mug this morning. The pain was so bad and I just could not hold the mug. I have had this pain before and it is to the point it hurts to just shower, comb my hair, put on lotion, get dress, whenever I have to move my wrist/hand/fingers. But it is only my left hand/wrist. I'm right handed though. I am retired but am working again now as, you got it, administrative technician :) I now think I want to change what I do and try something that does not involve so much writing and typing. Any help or assistance is very welcomed :) Thank you and be blessed.

Here's my reply:

Hello.  Two things will make a big difference for you:

Does Your Carpal Tunnel Pain Come From Your Neck? CTS Can Be Caused By Neck Muscles

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome often has a "hidden" cause.  There are muscles in your neck that are called the scalenes.  There is a set on each side of your neck--left and right.  These muscles are commonly overlooked as a cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

In fact, when conventional or alternative treatments for CTS don't relieve your symptoms, the scalenes are usually the cause!

You can listen to a featured episode at Carpal Tunnel Radio called "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome--Is It All In Your Head?  Or Your Neck?"  It is about these muscles and, if your doctor thinks it's all in your head...it's not!

And, there's an article here at Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief about "The Muscle In Your Neck That Causes "Knots" and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome."

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Can Be Caused By Asthma

Did you ever guess asthma could cause your carpal tunnel symptoms?  Sure it can.  How?

You have a muscle called the diaphragm which basically divides your body into two pieces.  It is below your lungs and is used for breathing.  Sometimes, for one reason or another, we stop using the diaphragm as much as we are designed to.  When this happens, we start relying too much on the other muscles that help us breath:  the scalenes. 

The scalene muscles are on either side of your neck, left and right.  They are tucked behind a much more visible muscle which runs from the notch of your collar bone to your skull behind your ears.  The scalenes are used to assist with inhaling.

If you have difficulty breathing, the scalene muscles work harder than normal.  This can happen from stress or emotional tension as well as asthma, a bad cough, or any other situation which makes your breathing labored.  When this happens, the muscles in your neck can develop trigger points.

Trigger points cause--or trigger--pain somewhere else.  For instance, trigger points in your scalene muscles will cause pain and symptoms in the area of your carpal tunnel. 

If conventional medical treatment or massage doesn't help your carpal tunnel symptoms, then most likely you have trigger points in these neck muscles.  The good news is these muscles can be "treated" just like all muscles.  They don't require surgery.  The trigger points can be relieved with finger pressure or massage.

If you check out the "categories" here at Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief, you will find the "video" category.  If you scroll through those titles, you will find a video which demonstrates release of the scalenes. 

Also, since the muscles around your neck, chest and back get tight from working so hard when you have trouble breathing, massage is a great natural remedy to help them relax.

If you can get your asthma or breathing difficulty under control and release the scalenes (or have a skilled massage therapist do it for you) you can have carpal tunnel pain relief.

Pain In Your Pinky Finger or Baby Finger

A reader asked me about pain in her pinky fingers (baby finger.)  Here is her question:

"I have noticed for the past week that both pinky fingers have been numb.  The numbness extends up to each elbow and is aggravated by almost anything I do.  I work on a computer and I try to have good posture and relax my shoulders. When I set my arms down, use the mouse, type I feel it in my right
shoulder (I am righty) like now, last week it was my left shoulder. I did not have an accident or injury. It is a nerve issue because I get that "funny bone" feeling radiating from both elbows down to my fingertips. Hot water does not feel hot on both pinky's either. I woke up one morning last week with both pinkies totally numb and pins and needles (parasthesias?). It started a week ago when I think I had a panic attack.  Went to the ER for it - but normal BP, sugar, CAT scan of head. It felt like someone was forcefully squeezing both forearms. When the nurse took my BP I cried because it felt like my left arm would burst it hurt that bad.  Never had that before..."

Here is my shortened response:

"As I check the Trigger Point Manual by Doctors Travell & Simons, and based on your symptoms, here are my thoughts.  Please remember, I'm not a doctor but I am a muscle specialist.

Your finger muscles are actually in your lower arms.  If there is a trigger point on the palm side of your lower arm, toward your elbow, that will cause pain in your pinkies.  But, you describe nervy sensations rather than pain.  They, too, can be caused by trigger points in muscles.  Still, you also  indicated tenderness or tightness in your shoulders and lower arm.  Hmmm.

That's very good news that all of your tests came back negative.  That almost always indicates that the problem is with the soft tissues or muscles.  That's good news because

Does Your Carpal Tunnel Pain Come From Your Neck? Here's A Test for CTS Caused By Neck Muscles

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome often has a "hidden" cause.  There are muscles in your neck that are called the scalenes.  There is a set on each side of your neck--left and right.  These muscles are commonly overlooked as a cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

In fact, when conventional or alternative treatments for CTS don't relieve your symptoms, the scalenes are usually the cause!

You can listen to a featured episode at Carpal Tunnel Radio called "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome--Is It All In Your Head?  Or Your Neck?"  It is about these muscles and, if your doctor thinks it's all in your head...it's not!

And, there's an article here about "The Muscle In Your Neck That Causes "Knots" and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome."

In "Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction The Trigger Point Manual," Drs. Travell and Simons talk extensively about the role of the scalene muscles in carpal tunnel and similar symptoms.  In order to determine whether the scalenes are causing your symptoms, they suggest the "Scalene-relief Test."

I like this test because, unlike many tests to diagnose problems, it doesn't make the symptom worse in order to get a positive result.

If the muscles at the front of your neck, between your neck and collar bone, feel tight when you try to press your fingers down into the area behind your collar bone, that may be a clue that the scalenes are involved in your symptoms. And, if you have short upper arms or limited movement in your shoulder, you may not be able to do the test.  You can still release your scalene muscles, however.

Here's the test:

1.  Put the backside of your painful lower arm across your forehead.  Your elbow will be bent and out to the side.  Your palm will be facing away from you, thumb down.

2.  Lift, or raise, your arm and pull your shoulder forward to lift your collar bone off and away from the muscles and nerves that are behind it.  Slide your hand in the direction your fingers are pointing.  If you put the fingers

Carpal Tunnel Pain Following Shoulder Surgery

A reader asked me about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that started after she had damage to and surgery on a shoulder.  She wondered whether her CTS is related to the accidental injury to her shoulder since she didn't have any symptoms prior to the injury.

I did some research and below is part of my response to her.  I'm waiting to get more information from her on her exact symptoms.  When I can actually see someone in person, and get my hands on them to do an assessment, it's much easier.  You know:  A picture is worth a thousand words.  Without being able to do that, I'm doing the best I can with what I have to work with.  :-)

The medical book I refer to most often for research is:

Travell & Simons'
Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction The Trigger Point Manual Volume 1.  Upper Half of Body. 

Travell & Simons are medical doctors (Travell is deceased) who have done a tremendous job of placing the blame for most pain squarely where it belongs:  on our muscles and other soft tissues (that means not bony tissue.)

I'm feeling reasonably sure that, based on the pain you're telling me you still have, your hand symptoms are related to the pain in your shoulder.  But, as I often (have to) say:  I'm not a doctor.  I'm The Pain Relief Coach.

The Trigger Point Manual, Second Edition, Vol. 1, chapter 18, page 488, talks about "Problems of the Rotator Cuff."  It states that a muscle imbalance or trigger points in the rotator cuff muscles (there are 4) can mimic the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.  This can also occur from the scalene muscles in your neck (which could possibly have been affected during the surgery between your "shoulder and neck."  You can find my featured scalene episode here at http://www.carpaltunnelradio.com "Is It All In Your Head? Or In Your Neck?"  The scalenes are in your neck.

Also, I think that the amount of pain and the limits in your range of motion can also

Pain on the Outside of Your Hand--Is it Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Pam was having pain on the outside (baby finger side or ulnar side) of her hand and wondered whether it was carpal tunnel syndrome. She contacted me because she was afraid her massage career was going to be over.

Trigger points are areas in muscles (or other soft tissues) that trigger, or refer, pain or symptoms elsewhere.  When trigger points are pressed into, the symptom or pain will appear where the area of complaint is.  Trigger points cause symptoms.  (But what causes trigger points?  That's another article.)

Pam had tried working on trigger points in the shoulder blade area.  Pressing into the trigger points referred pain to her wrist, and seemed to work, but the pain always came back.  She was very frustrated.

I wrote to her and explained that pain in the ulnar area is caused by the following muscles:  serratus posterior superior (in the upper back), latissimus dorsi (on the outer side of the upper back), pec major and pec minor (the pectorals are the chest muscles and attach to the upper arm).

Since Pam uses her arms and hands extensively, I know that her chest and arm muscles get a lot of use and probably needed to be released, or relaxed.  They also need to be stretched in the opposite direction of their usual movement.  Another area that often gets tight when doing massage are the "lats"--the latissimus dorsi, below the armpit.

Here is Pam's response:

"Wow, thanks a lot.  I have tried to find a few spots on myself under the armpit and the pain shot to my scapula, deltoids, pecs, biceps, triceps and wrist.  It's really amazing!  So, if you were me would you just make sure to get worked on weekly?  Thanks so much.  You really do know a lot!  You're a big help.  I will tell all of my massage friends about you!"

When I wrote back, I told Pam prevention is also important so she can continue to do massage.  It's important that she develop a strong back as well as stretch the muscles which get tight while working.  Stretching between every client will be a big help.  So will figuring out which moves she makes that cause her muscles to get tight.

I have a lot of articles that will help you develop a strong back at Simple Strengthening.

Everything happens for a reason, and when you understand the reason(s) for the pain or other symptoms in your hand, wrist and arm, you can get rid of your carpal tunnel syndrome.

When Carpal Tunnel Pain Won't Go Away, Check Trigger Points In Muscles

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is very often caused by trigger points in your muscles.

What ARE trigger points?  Trigger points are hyperirritable (crabby) areas of muscle.  Trigger points can also be found in other soft tissues.  Soft tissues are everything except bone.

What do trigger points do?  They cause pain and symptoms in other parts of the body, sometimes at a far distance from the trigger point.  This is called "referred" pain.

What CAUSES trigger points?  There are some nutritional related causes, but the most common cause is muscle overload.

Who gets trigger points?  We ALL have the potential to have them, because we all have soft tissues. 

When a nagging pain or symptom won't go away with treatment, that most likely means that a trigger point is causing the pain and needs to be released.

When I was making my notes for a recent Carpal Tunnel Radio show, I noticed a relationship between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and trigger points:  All of the things that cause

Trigger Points and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What are trigger points and how do they cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Conventional allopathic medicine (that means your medical doctor) sometimes recognizes trigger points. Some doctors do truly understand trigger points--what they are, how they work--but others think that every tender place is a trigger point.  That's not true. 

When doctors treat trigger points, it is usually with injections (which may or may not work) or by attempting stretching to resolve the trigger point (which will probably not work.) 

Trigger points are caused by something.  The "something" must be taken care of first before the trigger point can go away.

Manual therapy--pressing into the trigger point AND releasing the muscles that caused it--is usually very successful. It takes time and that's why there are muscle specialists (certain massage therapists) who do this work. Conventional medical practitioners generally don't have the time or training to release trigger points.

There are several areas that can have trigger points that cause Carpal Tunnel symptoms: your neck (scalene muscles), chest (pectoral muscles), and muscles in your upper arm and lower arm.

If you go to Carpal Tunnel Radio  you will find an episode on trigger points.

Here at Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief  you will find more on "Triggers" under "Categories."

The problem with a lot of conventional medicine is that it overlooks the most basic cause of most of our pain: Our muscles! As technology overtook natural medical treatments, muscles were kind of thrown by the wayside as being causes of pain.

There are countries in the world where massage and manual therapies are part of their medical treatment because massage is OLD medicine!

Trigger points can cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, as well as other hand/wrist/arm pain.  The beauty of it is, trigger points can be released.  When you release trigger points, the symptoms they cause will go away, too.

When Carpal Tunnel Pain Is Caused By Nerve Compression

Sometimes people eliminate things they have to do, or enjoy and want to do, to get some carpal tunnel pain relief.

They work at figuring out what aggravates their carpal tunnel issues and try to avoid those things. That seems to help because they often have fewer symptoms.

However, eliminating the actual causes of your pain will relieve your symptoms and keep them from coming back!

Pain always happens for a reason.  If you have had conventional medical treatment but still continue to have carpal tunnel symptoms, that means the CAUSE was not treated.

There are many causes for hand-wrist-arm pain but when your doctor (or you) suggests that "it's all in your head," he (or you) is wrong!

There are nerves in the neck that cause carpal tunnel syndrome. And, it's not a theory--it's fact! This happens especially to people with "forward head" posture and rounded-forward shoulders.

The nerves in your neck allow the ability to feel and sense in your hands and arms. When nerves are compressed, or pressed on, they cause uncomfortable symptoms in the area they serve. In this case, the symptoms are pain, numbness and tingling or burning, and the area is the hand-wrist-arm.

When you take the pressure off those nerves, they are allowed to function normally without causing symptoms. 

Surgery is NOT the only option!

Sometimes the nerves that carpal tunnel issues are in your arm or shoulder or wrist but, when you don't respond to conventional medical treatment, the muscles compressing the nerves are in your neck and upper chest. 

Muscles can be released with manual pressure.  That means someone can help you release those muscles, and you can get better, naturally.

You can find a lot of information on this right here at Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief.  Check out the "Videos" "Causes" and "Self Help" categories.

There is also an episode at http://www.CarpalTunnelRadio.com

called "When Your Doctor Thinks It's All In Your Head" that addresses it.

Pain happens for reasons. You just have to understand WHY you hurt-- how your body works--and then follow natural laws of your body to get rid of your pain.

Let's get rid of the causes so you can be pain-free.

"Because You Deserve to Feel Better!"

Carpal Tunnel Pain Relief with Trigger Point Therapy

Would you like carpal tunnel pain relief?  And, what's the most common cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Trigger points are hyper-irritable (crabby) areas in your muscles or soft tissues that cause pain elsewhere.  Trigger points will definitely cause pain, numbness, tingling, weakness and other discomfort in many places in your body.  Your carpal tunnel area is one of those "many places."

If an area is simply tight or tender when you press on it, that's not a trigger point.  It's just a tender area.

But, when you press on an area, if you can feel sensation elsewhere--especially somewhere that has been bothering you--that's a trigger point.  It's "triggering" a symptom.

That's what trigger points do:  they cause symptoms.

How can you get rid of trigger points?  You have a couple of options.

1.  You can go to a professional massage therapist who knows about trigger points and carpal tunnel pain relief. You can find an article about how to find a massage therapist who can really make a difference for you if you go to the "Categories" here and open the "Massage" link.

2.  You can do your own trigger point release.  This can be pretty easy if you know where to look for your trigger points and if you know how to release them.  You can scroll through the 'Categories' here and open the 'Massage' link to find articles on self-help massage. 

If you'd like to learn how to do your own trigger point massage, I highly recommend this book by Clair Davies.  Mr. Davies did an excellent job of explaining trigger points, how to find them and how you, yourself, can "treat" them.  If you click on the photo of his book, below, it will take you right to Amazon.com and you will be able to "look inside" the book.

Is Your Carpal Tunnel Pain All "In Your Head?" - Or In Your Neck?

Today's show (March 12, 2009) at Carpal Tunnel Radio was about those pesky muscles on your neck that cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  The same muscles also cause pain in the back and front of your upper body, your shoulders, the back and front of your upper arms, and those nasty knots in your back between your shoulder blade and spine.

The scalene muscles are located toward the front of your neck.  There is a set of scalenes on each side.  They are tucked away and hidden behind the SCM muscles.  The SCM's form a "V" from the bones just behind your ears to the notch of your throat.

Your scalenes are used to help you breathe.  They lift your upper ribs.  If you have had asthma, severe allergies, or are an upper chest breather (rather than using your whole chest,) or if you have had a whiplash injury, you may have trigger points in your scalenes.  Trigger points in these muscles will "fire" or trigger pain and symptoms into all of the areas we talked about at the start of this article.

It would be great if you could go to a knowledgeable massage therapist who knows how to treat these muscles.  But, if you can't, you can discover how to get rid of your trigger points by self-treating your own scalene muscles.

"Because You Deserve To Feel Better!"

 

Carpal Tunnel Triggers

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is very often caused by trigger points in your muscles, so the Thursday, March 5, 2009 15-minute episode at Carpal Tunnel Radio answered the following questions:

    * What ARE trigger points?
    * What do they do?
    * What CAUSES trigger points?

When I was making my notes for today's show, I noticed a relationship between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and trigger points:  All of the things that cause trigger points also cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!

So what causes trigger points?

• abnormal bone structure that you may have been born with
• posture that causes muscle stress (this is a very common cause)
• doing repetitive motions, especially incorrectly
• vitamin & mineral deficiencies or incorrect levels
• thyroid or blood disorders
• stress; allergies and chronic infections.

I know that you don't have all of those "trigger point triggers", but you may have one or more.

Listen in at CarpalTunnelRadio and get lots of answers.

Trigger point therapy can relieve trigger points.  We will talk more about this on Thursday, March 12, 2009 when our topic will be:

"Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:  Is It All In Your Head?  Or In Your Neck?"

Until then, take good care of yourself.

"Because You Deserve to Feel Better!"