Ever experienced pain or numbness in your hand all of a sudden? This could be a sign of carpal tunnel syndrome. What are the best ways to ease carpal tunnel syndrome pain?
Before we discuss how to ease the pain, it’s important to understand why carpal tunnel syndrome happens in the first place.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs because of the following:
- stress on the median nerve
- the position of your wrist, medical conditions
- constant, repetitive hand movements
Initially, the numbness or tingling might begin with one finger and then slowly spread to the hand.
The common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are:
- pain, numbness
- tingling along the nerve path
- You may feel a lack of energy in the hand and might not be able to hold anything.
Other symptoms include:
- pain in the wrist that mostly occurs at night
- burning sensation on the arms, etc.
- Simple stretches and exercises will help to ease carpal tunnel syndrome pain. These exercises do not need any fancy equipment and can be done at your work desk or at your home while watching the television.
Exercises to ease carpal tunnel syndrome pain
Shake
This is probably the first thing that comes to your mind and even the first thing you do when you have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
All you need to do is just shake your hands for two minutes. This simple exercise will help to prevent cramps. You can perform this exercise after every few hours for two to three minutes.
Stretch
This is another simple exercise that helps to ease carpal tunnel syndrome pain.
Here’s how to do it:
- Stretch your right arm straight in front of you. The inner side of your wrist should face upward.
- Now slowly move your wrist, so that your fingers point towards the ground.
- Stretch your fingers slightly and using your left hand apply little pressure to the right hand. Using gentle pressure, stretch your fingers.
- Hold the position for a few seconds and then return to your original position.
- Repeat the entire process with the other hand.
- Repeat the exercise three to four times for each hand after every few hours.
This simple exercise helps to ease the pain as well as improves flexibility.
Circular motion exercise to ease carpal tunnel pain
Most people experience carpal tunnel syndrome because of poor wrist alignment while typing on the keyboard.
To make sure your hands have some movements take some break and try doing the circular motion exercise.
This exercise is simple and can be done at the comfort of your home or at your work desk.
- All you need to do is stretch your arm straight in front of you.
- Make a fist and rotate your wrist in a circular motion clockwise for 30 seconds and then anti-clockwise for another 30 seconds.
- Repeat the exercise for your other hand too.
This exercise will hardly take five minutes. Repeat the exercise five to seven times a day to ease carpal tunnel syndrome pain.
Simple lifestyle tips to ease carpal tunnel syndrome pain
Take regular breaks
Do not sit in one place for a longer stretch of time. Take a break after every few hours and do some stretching or take a walk. If you are not able to leave your work desk, you can just sit on the chair and stretch and move your wrist in a circular motion. This will help to improve the blood flow and flexibility and prevent cramps.
Wear splints
Splints help to keep your wrist straight and prevent excess stress on the median nerve.
The symptoms mostly get worse at night because of your sleeping position. Hence, it is advised to wear splints before going to bed for a few months.
People with the disorder have experienced the symptoms getting better after regular use of splints. If you experience the symptoms more often during the day, you can even choose to wear the splints during the day or when doing activities that trigger symptoms.
Rearrange your workstation
If your work involves sitting in front of your computer or laptop for a longer period, it is important for you to rearrange your workstation as per your need.
Make sure your posture is correct. If the position of your workstation is contributing to your pain, request your manager and change your desk.
Sitting in the correct position minimizes your risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
Other options that can help to ease carpal tunnel syndrome pain are:
- Learning different types of hand therapy techniques to relieve the symptoms. You can either learn the techniques with the help of online tutorials or by seeking professional help.
- Talk to your doctor who can prescribe you ointments or creams to apply topically when the pain occurs.
- You can even take the help of ultrasound therapy that helps to increase the temperature of the area where you experience pain. The therapy helps to ease carpal tunnel syndrome pain and aids in early recovery.
If your symptoms worsen and the exercises and lifestyle changes seem ineffective, consult your doctor.
Your doctor may prescribe you medications and steroid injections to reduce inflammation. Your doctor may even ask you to monitor your symptoms and triggers. If you experience the symptoms get worse in certain positions, your doctor may ask you to avoid the position.
In rare cases, if your pain is severe, your doctor may even recommend undergoing surgery.
Learn more about peripheral nerve disorders, here.
[embed-health-tool-bmi]
