Carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS, commonly strikes thousands of people each year. Only surpassed by lower back pain, CTS is the most commonly disabling and expensive health issue in the U.S. Annually, as many as one million CTS sufferers opt for surgery, many never knowing that they can avoid surgery with the use of carpal tunnel massage instead.
What it comes down to is that anyone can develop carpal tunnel syndrome. In the earlier years it was found mostly among women who were constantly repeating their hand work everyday. For example the woman who would type thousands of words throughout the day would be a prime candidate for carpal tunnel syndrome. Here’s a short list of other careers that should be on the look out for carpal tunnel.
1. Meat packers 2. Massage therapist 3. Hair stylists 4. Guitar players 5. Postal clerks 6. Chefs
While these occupations are large contributors to the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome, other factors can cause its onset. These factors include:
A. Thyroid problem B. Diabetes C. Obesity D. Pregnancy E. Side effects from Birth control pills F. Cigarette smoking G. Arthritis
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome mostly include tingling, numbness and pain in the wrist and hands. Pain can also extend to the neck, shoulders and arms, and is cited as being worse at night for some people, which causes further issues as sleep is then impaired. Often times, people with serious cases of CTS lose the ability to grip simple objects as they also experience muscle atrophy and a general weakening of the hands and wrists.
Carpal tunnel massage is helpful in combating this condition, primarily because it addresses the root cause of the injury. The result of a compressed median nerve that is located in the carpal tunnel, which extends from the forearm to the wrist, is the usual culprit in CTS. Because the median nerve is responsible for feeling and movement of the thumb, forefinger, middle finger and ring finger, when it becomes damaged or compressed, intense pain, numbness and tingling is the result. Massaging helps to reduce the pressure on the nerve as well as associated swelling of the tendons, and increases circulation needed for the median nerve to recover and decompress.
Massage can be applied by a trained massage therapist or self-administered. By using one hand to apply pressure to the forearm, particularly the flexor muscles, and massaging in short strokes that last 2 – 3 seconds each, relief from carpal tunnel syndrome is possible. In performing this massage for at least 20 minutes each day, especially at bedtime, the effects of CTS can be significantly reduced. Following through with daily carpal tunnel massages for a period of several months can do wonders in restoring the median nerve and associated tendons that make up the carpal tunnel to their original, healthy functioning state.
Carpal tunnel exercise stimulates circulation, and help to rebuild strength that has been lost in the arm, hand, and wrist areas. By performing regular massage on your wrists, and arms, and other CTS exercises daily, many previous sufferers have noted a drastic improvement in their level of pain, and some have even been cured of CTS. By performing Carpal Tunnel exercises that challenge the muscles in the arm and wrist by stretching, resisting, and strengthening, CTS has been know to be reduced. Make sure that you follow through with these exercises and try to take more breaks away from what you are doing to help reduce your pain.
Avoiding surgery in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome has become a common goal of both patient and doctor. Surgery is expensive, difficult to recover from and often ineffective. Tom Nicholson has discovered a series of strange massage, carpal tunnel exercises that can alleviate the pain and suffering associated with CTS. Click on the link to discover your path to pain-free hands and fingers.