Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common type of repetitive strain injury, let's explore natural ways to support symptoms of carpal tunnel and how they help. 

What is Carpal Tunnel?

Carpal tunnel occurs when the median nerve compresses in the wrist's carpal tunnel on the palm side. This nerve supplies the palm, thumb and first three fingers. Reduced nerve function causes numbness, tingling, and pain in the thumb and first three fingers.

The muscles may eventually weaken, causing atrophy and clumsiness. Doctors must distinguish carpal tunnerl syndrome from other nerve entrapments in the arm, shoulder, or back.

What Causes Carpal Tunnel?

The median nerve can be compressed by physical activity. Computer workers, musicians, athletes, hairstylists, jackhammer operators, assembly line workers and any other individual who performs repeated movements with their wrists and fingers are susceptible to this cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. The nerve can also be compressed by pressure from fluid or other body tissues. This occurs with conditions such as diabetes, bone spurs, inflammatory arthritis and pregnancy.

Treatment Options For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Conventional Treatment Options

Conventional treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome involves avoidance of aggravating activities, wrist splints and anti-inflammatory medication. Surgeons perform surgery as a last resort when permanent nerve or muscle damage becomes a risk.

Natural Carpal Tunnel Support

Ergonomic aids for reducing carpal tunnel problems are as follows. Use your whole hand to grip an object. When using a keyboard, keep your elbows bent, wrists and hands in a straight line, and your forearms parallel to the floor. Use a “wrist rest” pad to alleviate pressure on the carpal tunnel.

Shake out your hands periodically. Perform stretching exercises such as wrist rotations. Strengthen the area with exercises. For example, place a rubber band around your fingers and open and close the fingers in sets of ten.

Pay attention to your sleep position to ensure that it does not strain your wrists.

Diet changes can help manage carpal tunner symptoms by reducing inflammation. Salt causes the body to retain water, so avoiding excess salt and processed food, which is typically high in salt, will decrease swelling and water retention. Some foods increase inflammation and should be limited, including:

  • Eggs
  • Meat
  • Rhubarb and Parsley
  • Asparagus, Spinach, Beets, Chard, and Cabbage

People can increase foods that may reduce swelling, including pineapple, avocados, bananas, nuts, potatoes, whole grains, sweet potatoes, chicken, and nutritional yeast. Weight loss could also benefit carpal tunnel sufferers if the individual is obese, which puts a strain on the canal.