7 Strategies to Reduce Your Carpal Tunnel Pain 

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is characterized by a tingling, numbing, and painful sensation in your wrist. The pain and discomfort stem from compression of the median nerve that runs along your forearm to your hand. CTS can also come from adhesions or stickiness between the median nerve and the wrist ligament, located right on top of the nerve.

Whether you develop CTS depends on different risk factors, such as pregnancy, inflammation, repetitive task injury, or thyroid issues. If you do start to experience symptoms, there are seven natural ways to treat the pain.

Problems with Conventional CTS Treatments

Traditional treatment for CFS typically involves the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and plenty of rest. However, the problem with attacking the inflammation is that it can inhibit your body’s healing response and extend recovery time. Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury, and it’s exactly what sparks the healing process.

Another important component of CTS recovery is getting plenty of rest. However, if you continue to use the affected wrist, you’ll only continue to reinjure the area. This leads to a longer recovery and, in some cases, permanent nerve damage.

To accelerate healing and get relief, some sufferers opt for carpal tunnel surgery. However, cutting into a wrist to release the median nerve is not without risk and significant cost. Only 50% of the surgeries have a good result. The average cost of carpal tunnel surgery is about $1,000 with insurance and nearly ten times that amount if you don’t have coverage.

At such a high cost, you hope to come out pain-free, but this usually isn’t the case. Only about 50% of carpal tunnel operations are successful, and follow-up procedures are only 40% effective. Even for patients experiencing temporary relief, about 85% report a return of carpal tunnel symptoms shortly after surgery.

Natural CTS Symptom Treatments

CTS can be successfully treated without surgery from the comfort of your own home. You can also accelerate healing with the help of a local health and wellness center that specializes in recovery from repetitive motion injuries.

While individual treatment plans can vary based on your symptoms, the best integrative medical providers recommend these seven strategies for treating CTS pain:

1) Get Plenty of Rest

It bears repeating that carpal tunnel requires a lengthy rest period. If you’re stubborn and continue to use your hand, you’ll only worsen the condition and prolong the recovery.

2) Use a Wrist Splint

A wrist brace for carpal tunnel can help stabilize your median nerve and prevent further injury. This is especially important at night while you sleep, as you want to keep your wrist in a neutral position.

3) Ice Therapy

Some people do well with cold therapy. You might try to ice your wrist for about 10 minutes every hour until you experience relief. Dr. Blatman prefers heat because the nerve does not like cold, and the tight fascia causing the issue might tighten more with the cold.

4) Yoga

The ancient practice of yoga has been shown to successfully reduce carpal tunnel pain. However, some yoga positions can be intense, so you should opt for beginner poses that are gentle on your wrist.

5) Vitamins

Because carpal tunnel is sometimes linked to nutritional deficiencies, check to see that you’re meeting the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for essential vitamins and minerals. Your physician might recommend vitamin B6 at 50mg per day if you’re undergoing CTS treatment. They may also suggest more specialized vitamins based on your medical needs and goals.

6) Diet

Diet is another important factor in treatment, not just for CTS but for most conditions and health problems. Since inflammation is one of the potential causes of CTS, patients should strive to consume an anti-inflammatory diet rich in vegetables, fish, and grass-fed meats.

7) Carpal Tunnel Massage

Myofascial massage is a non-invasive therapy that “releases” the entrapped median nerve through a series of massages and stretching. Look for a local physician who specializes in myofascial massage for CTS. They might even teach you stretching techniques you can do at home.

For the ‘do it yourselfer,’ there is a wonderful section of Dr. Blatman’s book detailing self treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Using Integrative Medicine

By allowing for ample rest and recovery, practicing proper nutrition, and addressing the cause of your CTS, you can have relief without resorting to surgery or addictive painkillers. At Blatman Health and Wellness Center, we treat many patients with CTS, and they report significant results from our integrative healing methods. Call us today at our Cincinnati or New York office for an appointment or complete our online contact form.