by Dr. Alan Magner
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition of pain in the wrist and palm, associated with numbness and tingling going into the thumb and first two fingers, and sometimes radiating up the arm. It’s often worse upon awakening, and can cause decreased hand-grip strength.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a chronic condition due to swelling and pressure on the median nerve, which is a large nerve in the wrist passing under a firm, wide tendon. It’s usually felt to be caused by a congenital (genetic) narrowing of the carpal tunnel in the wrist, along with some inciting factors, such as repetitive or over-use of the hand and wrist in a flexed position. This may occur, for instance, with assembly-line work, prolonged keyboarding at a computer, repetitive hammering, vibration or squeezing and tight hand gripping. There are also some medical conditions, such as pregnancy, diabetes, and hypo-thyroidism that can be associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. These are thought to cause local swelling of the tendons at the wrist, thus putting pressure on the underlying median nerve, leading to wrist pain and numbness.
Traditional Treatment of Carpal Tunnel
Traditional western medical treatment includes hand rest, anti-inflammatory drugs, wrist splints, cold packs, and sometimes injections of steroids or Lidocaine (local anesthetic). If treated early, and any associated medical conditions are corrected, carpal tunnel syndrome usually responds well after several weeks to months. It’s important to recognize and avoid any causative factors as much as possible. If symptoms of pain persist or worsen over a long time then surgical intervention to cut and remove the overlying inflamed tendon is usually successful.
Acupuncture can Treat and Cure Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Acupuncture has been successfully used to treat and cure carpal tunnel syndrome for many years. It’s especially useful when used relatively early in the course of symptoms. In 1997, after reviewing many studies, the National Institute of Health (NIH) released a Consensus Statement that acupuncture, used as part of a comprehensive management program, is a useful and helpful treatment to relieve wrist pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome.
Acupuncture can help reduce the potential for drug side-effects, can shorten the time needed to relieve symptoms, and can allow the inflamed, swollen median nerve to heal, thus relieving pain and hastening the time to return to normal function.
