Simple home therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition of having numbness, tingling sensation, weakness or pain in your hand. This is due to the compression of the median nerve that controls the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and the ring finger in the wrist. The structure of the carpal tunnel becomes swollen as the pressure on the median nerve increases. The people who are most likely candidate for this condition are those who have arthritis, diabetes and hyperthyroidism, people who is required to do repetitive hand movements, and pregnant women because of hormonal changes. Many of our patients with carpal tunnel syndrome are residents of Makati, Pasig and Quezon City.
If you experience symptoms of tunnel carpal syndrome, it is advisable that you consult a specialist like an orthopaedic doctor, so that the condition may be addressed at its early stage. After which you will be refered to a physical therapist for its proper treatment. The following are exercise programs and simple treatments that may be done at home in order to arrest the development of this condition:
- Warm compress. You may apply warm compress on the affected wrist. Place a towel between the warm compress and the skin to avoid getting singed. Apply it for twenty minutes. The warm compress will facilitate vasodilation where the affected area will have increased blood circulation. (Figure 1)
Figure 1 - Stretching of the forearm muscle. Stretch your elbow. Then, pull back on the fingers of the stretched arms (do this, first with your palm facing upward and then, with your palm facing downward). Hold it for twenty seconds. This exercise will provide flexibility on the surrounding muscles.(Figure 2)
Figure 2 - Strengthening exercise. With the use of a dumbbell or theraband, do the wrist flexion and extension exercise while your forearm is stabilized. This will strengthen the muscles of your forearm.(Figure 3)
Figure 3 - Wear a splint. You may either order a customized splint and buy a ready-made one. Wear your splint especially when you decide to sleep. The splint will position your arm in a way that it will ease the pressure on the carpal tunnel.(Figure 2)
Figure 4
These are basic treatments and exercises that do not guarantee remedy. It is also recommended that these exercises be performed under the supervision of a certified physical therapist to be sure that they are performed properly. We at Rehab Experts provided quality physical therapy home service throughout Metro Manila, Philippines.
