What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
If you or someone you know suffers from numbness, tingling or weakness of their hands and arms they may have the symptoms of Carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common medical condition due to compression of the median nerve as it travels through in between the wrist and tendons in the carpal tunnel.
Signs and Symptoms
1. Tingling or numbness in the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half of the ring finger.
2. Pain in the other fingers except little finger may be a sign of carpal tunnel syndrome.
3. Weakness in hands and fingers.
4. Aching or pain in forearm and wrist.
5. Pain is worse at night
6. Pain may radiate up the arm
Treatment for CTS
The general treatment of CTS includes complete rest of the wrist by wearing a splint. Cold therapy helps a lot to relieve the swelling and inflammation.
Surgery is performed in severe cases. Carpal tunnel release is a very simple operation in which carpal ligament is cut in order to enlarge the carpal tunnel and relieve the pressure on the median nerve. This is done either by open technique or endoscopic technique
Exercises
- Wrist Flexion: Gently bend your wrist forward. Hold for 5- 10 seconds
- Wrist Extension: Gently bend your wrist backward. Hold for 5-10 seconds
- Side to side: Gently move your wrist from side to side (handshake motion). Hold for 5 seconds in each direction
- Wrist stretch: Press the back of the hand on your injured side with your other hand to help bend your wrist. Hold for 15-30 seconds. Stretch the hand back by pressing the fingers in a backward direction. Hold for 15-30 seconds. Keep the arm on your injured side straight during this exercise (3 sets).
- Grip strength: Squeeze a soft rubber ball for 5 seconds (2 sets of 15) backward and look up toward the ceiling (10 times, several times/day).
Remedial Massage Therapy helps stimulate blood flow and circulation by stretching and lengthening the muscles and tendons in the wrist and hand. In your treatment session we also focus on treatment of neck, shoulders and arms. If you have the symptoms of Carpal tunnel and would like a specific treatment program tailored to you please contact us at Phillip Island Massage Therapy 0426501182 or you can easily book online