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How To Cope With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Updated on June 5, 2012
Carpal tunnel Splint
Carpal tunnel Splint

At night if you wake up with numbness and weakness in one of your wrist, or both, for no apparent reason then you may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Many times I've been fast asleep only to be waken by this horrible pain and dumbing sensation in my wrist. It started in my right hand but later it began on the left as well. The numbing feeling, at first, leads you to believe you may have fallen asleep on your hand and its simply "asleep"- but after a while you realize it's more than "asleep". When your hand or foot or any other part of your body is asleep from cutting off blood supply, it only takes a few minutes for the blood flow to resume and the numbness dissipates. With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, at least in my own experience, it doesn't go away. I would rub my hand, but it would only cause more pain. I tried everything, but nothing worked. Finally I purchased a Carpal Tunnel brace such as the one in the picture to the above and it worked wonders. As long as I wore the brace on my hand it relieved most of the pain and numbness.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome doesn't creep upon someone overnight. It happens over time from repeated movements of the hand and wrist, causing trauma disorder.

The wrist, known as the Carpal Tunnel, has nerves and tendons. When you use your hand in repeated stressful ways, like typing, writing, or excessive texting- the tendons swell and compress the median nerve that runs down your hand. The result is numbness and pain.

Women have a two times greater risk than men.

Research:

Recent scientific studies are proving that supervised therapy with vitamin-B6 can assist in relieving the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A 12 year study in Louisville, KY, by Morton Kasdan M.D., discovered that 68% of his 494 patients suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome improved by taking vitamin-B6 daily.

John Ellis, M.D., a surgeon and family practitioner in Texas, has been treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for years with vitamin B6 at the Institute for Biomedical Research (in collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Ellis believes that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by a vitamin B6 deficiency.

Dr. Ellis states that over the past three decades he has successfully treated hundreds of patients with vitamin B6 with no side effects. He goes on to say that the results are not immediate. It takes time and the deficiency is so severe that it's a gradual notice of symptoms being relieved. He says with great confidence that in 6 to 12 weeks a patient will notice the numbness, tingling, stiffness, and pain subsides from your hand.

Dr. Ellis says that a few people have a recurrence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome when they cease from taking vitamin B6.

Caution: Vitamin thereapy for Carpal Tunnel syndrome should not be used without close supervision by a physician. High levels of vitamin B6 can be toxic. The daily U.S. daily Recommended Daily Allowance is 2mg.


Ways to Cope:

  • Do hand exercises when the tingling or pain begins. When the tingling or pain begins do simple circle exercises. Move your hands gently around in circles for two minutes. This simple technique restores circulation and places moves your wrist out of the bent position which i usually the reason for most of your tingling and pain. Doing this exercise is good for prevention as well. Do this exercise briefly, about 3 minutes/4 times a day.
  • Raise your arm above your head and rotate your wrist at the exact same time.
  • When you are having episodes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome take a rest from anything that uses your hands/wrist in a repeated motion.
  • Do daily exercises. This is very important as it relaxes all the muscles that are causing pain and numbness.
  • Use aspirin or ibuprofen. These drugs are non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which reduces pain and inflammation.
  • Use cold packs if your hand or wrist is swollen. Never wrap your hand in a heating pad. Heat increases the swelling.
  • Sleep with your arms very close to your body and keeping your wrist straight.
  • Use a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome brace or splint. These give support without restricting blood flow or causing more pain . it's best not to use the splints or braces made out of plastic as they can be hot and sticky. The splint should fit into the palm but allowing easy movement of the wrist.
  • If you are using something and find that it hurts then change the position of the object and how you are holding it in your hand. sometimes this does wonders.

Credits:

Stevens JC, Beard CM, O'Fallon WM, Kurland LT (1992). Conditions associated with carpal tunnel syndrome

Rempel, D; Evanoff B, Amadio PC, et al (1998). Consensus criteria for the classification of carpal tunnel syndrome in epidemiologic studies

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