Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Author: Julie Donnelly
Have you ever said in a half-joking voice, “I never felt these aches and pains before, I must be getting old?” You aren’t getting old. You are just experiencing the results of repetitive strain injury to the muscles that you use every day.
When you use a muscle in the same manner over and over it eventually shortens. However it is still attached to the same place and the now-shorter muscle pulls on the insertion point until it hurts. The taut muscle can pull so hard that the joint can’t even move freely!
Perhaps you’ve been told that you have bursitis or tendonitis, when the only thing that’s happening is a muscle is pulling hard on a joint. If the pain is in your wrist or you have numbness in your fingers you may even be told that you have carpal tunnel syndrome, and too often this will lead to unnecessary surgery or a long series of potentially dangerous drugs to stop the pain.
Whether the repetitive strain is caused by your job, your sport, or you simply overuse your hands by doing the same repetitive motion for hours at a time, hand and wrist pain can stop you short! The pain of repetitive strain injuries can ruin the quality of your life.
Current Treatments for Hand and Wrist Pain and Numbness
Until now the initial treatments for hand and wrist pain and numbness were:
• Wear a brace
• Take anti-inflammatory drugs
• Stop the repetitive motion, even if it is caused by your job
• Go for hours of physical therapy
If unsuccessful you will be told that you need a surgical procedure that has a 50/50 chance of success and may have serious side effects. Those are not good odds, especially when it means that the negative result could have serious impact on your daily life and may even end your career!
The good news is that 95% of wrist pain and numb fingers is actually caused by tension and small knots in the muscles from your neck and shoulder, all the way down your arm and into your hand. Release the tight muscles, and the pressure is removed from your nerve and your wrist.
Stop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Pain Naturally
Five Exercises You Can Do At Home to Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
1. Open your fingers up wide, really stretching out your hand and then rotate your wrists in large circles. You will feel the stretch in your hands and your forearms.
2. Stretch your forearm muscles by holding your arm straight out, putting your flat hand so it is pointing up, and then taking your opposite hand to pull it back. Then reverse the movement by bending your wrist so your flat hand is pointing down and using your opposite hand to enhance the bend.
3. Roll your shoulders in a circle going up and back.
4. Lean your head back so you are looking at the ceiling, than slightly turn so your cheekbone is facing the ceiling. Feel the stretch along the side of your neck.
5. Pull your shoulders all the way down toward the floor while tilting your head to the side. You’ll get an even better stretch by then slightly turning your head in several directions.
If you stretch your muscles frequently, you’ll be amazed at the relief you will feel. Plus, you’ll have better flexibility and more strength.
The good news is that you can also learn how to self-treat each of the muscles that cause hand/wrist pain and numbness. You have excellent options before even considering drugs that have potential dangerous side-effect, or surgery that causes scar tissue in your wrist. It’s worthwhile to explore all of your options so you can get back to living your life to its fullest – without pain.
© Julie Donnelly 2013
Julie Donnelly, LMT is a recognized authority in repetitive strain and sports injuries, chronic pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Author of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You and Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living and a series of Stop Pain FAST! books that focus on separate conditions.
Julie is the developer of the breakthrough consumer product The Julstro Self Treatment System for Repetitive Strain Injuries of the Hand and Wrist. She lectures and teaches self-treatment workshops worldwide.
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