Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful disorder of the wrist and hand. When the tissues of the wrist and carpal tunnel (ligaments and tendons) become swollen or inflamed, they press against the median nerve. The median nerve is important in being able to feel the tissues of the hand and to work some of the fingers. This pressure can cause part of your hand to hurt or feel numb. Repeating the same movements can cause chronic hand and wrist pain. It is common in people who use computers, carpenters, athletes, supermarket clerks, assembly line workers, musicians, and mechanics. Hobbies, such as gardening, tennis, golf, and kayaking, can trigger symptoms. Chronic wrist pain is also common during the last trimester of pregnancy, with diabetes, and with thyroid disorders.
Carpal tunnel treatment considers that restoring normal hand function is key and takes into account
- Hand and wrist pain will improve only when the pressure inside the carpal tunnel is reduced.
- The upper extremity is a complicated system of relationships between the hand, arm, and shoulder.
- A faulty relationship of the shoulder and arm to the upper body is a common finding in people with hand and wrist pain.
- Disrupted relationships create undue stress on the soft tissues of the entire arm, and carpal tunnel pain is just one common result.
Once injured, wrist and hand pain can become chronic and treatment is likely necessary. Carpal tunnel treatment is the result of improving key relationships within the arm and optimizing the function of the wrist in relation to the rest of the upper body. You should receive therapy that involves the whole body, with the goal of relieving pain and preventing your wrist from re-injuring itself.
If you have had enough rest or if physical therapy has not worked for you, the Feldenkrais Method can be used to treat all problems for which surgery is not necessary. Feldenkrais uses simple, gentle movements to reorganize posture, flexibility, strength, and coordination. Based on the neurological processes by which we learn movement skills, it is a novel approach to carpal tunnel syndrome, harnessing the power of the brain to help the body function more efficiently. The most efficient use of self creates environments in which chronic pain can heal, including carpal tunnel syndrome. Feldenkrais helps you get back to having fun with all those things your wrist is holding you back for now; discover what it can do for you.
