If you are someone who uses their hands and wrist working at your job or doing crafts, you might have developed something known as carpal tunnel syndrome. It causes numbness, pain, tingling, and sometimes a poor grip. You may have thought the only treatment or remedy is surgery, however, that would be incorrect. There are other therapies to help individuals find relief including acupuncture. How can acupuncture help relieve carpal tunnel?
What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a
progressive condition caused by something known as “entrapment” or nerve damage in the wrist. The median nerve which runs on the palm side of your arm, wrist, and hand can get compressed or irritated in a small tunnel known as the carpal tunnel. The narrow carpal tunnel allows the nerve to pass into your hand. When pressure happens, you can develop symptoms including:
- Pain in your fingers, arm, and wrist
- Tingling or pins and needles in your fingers
- Numbness in your hands or fingers
- A poor grip
What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
The common causes of carpal tunnel include the following:
- Overusing the wrist
- Trauma to the wrist
- Diabetes
- Fluid retention
The Acupuncture Clinic will do a thorough evaluation and ask questions about your lifestyle and how you use your wrist regularly. Imaging tests may be performed to check for injury and diagnose the problem.
Acupuncture as a Complementary Therapy
Acupuncture is not a cure for carpal tunnel syndrome, but it is an effective therapy used in conjunction with other non-surgical treatments. It can offer relief from CTS for up to three months for mild to moderate carpal tunnel symptoms.
Other non-surgical treatments to relieve symptoms include:
- Wrist splinting
- Ice packs
- Resting the area
- Using NSAIDS
- Corticosteroids in pill form or injections
- Physical therapy
How Does Acupuncture Help CTS?
Medical research from 2020 and 2021 have shown that acupuncture is an effective therapy with little risk of adverse effects.
MRI scans of patients before and after acupuncture show that the process may improve nerve function. This happens by adjusting how the brain responds to pain, or it changes the pathway to the brain to reduce pain.
Increased blood circulation at the site of the needles helps to reduce inflammation and heal damaged tissue.
Increased endorphins and serotonin levels in the blood reduce pain and help with motor functions.
Although not a cure, used as a complementary therapy along with others, acupuncture can reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Contact The Acupuncture Clinic at (803) 256-1000 for help with CTS symptoms from our experienced acupuncturists in Columbia, SC.