ACUPUNCTURE FOR CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
May 19th, 2008
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a painful progressive condition caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist. It occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. CTS is a form of repetitive stress injury which occurs most commonly in workers whose tasks involve repetitive hand movements, including computer keyboard operators.
While there are many causes of carpal tunnel syndrome, the vast majority of people with CTS have no known cause. Symptoms usually start gradually, with numbness, weakness or pain in the wrist that radiates into the hand, and sometimes the forearm. Numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers as well as weakness in the hand often occurs.
Conventional treatment for CTS generally consists of resting the affected hand and wrist, avoiding activities that may worsen symptoms and immobilizing the wrist in a splint to avoid further damage from bending or twisting. To ease pain, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonprescription pain relievers may be recommended.
Acupuncture can restore normal nerve function and can provide long-term relief of pain associated with CTS. Acupuncture treatment releases the body’s endorphins and enkephalines, natural pain killing chemicals. A majority of people experiencing CTS pain often find acupuncture to be beneficial. The National Institutes of Health has issued a consensus statement declaring acupuncture useful as a supplement to standard CTS treatment or as part of a comprehensive CTS management program.
Acupuncture can reduce edema, a swelling of the soft tissue. Acupuncture stimulates production of cortisol, a hormone that reduces pain and inflammation. Since soft tissue swelling and inflammation in the carpal tunnel can cause median nerve impingement, acupuncture is a treatment option to consider for CTS. While decreasing local swelling and inflammation in the carpal tunnel itself, acupuncture relaxes the muscles of the forearm.
Acupuncture physicians treat individuals with CTS based on an individualized assessment of the excesses and deficiencies of qi located in specific meridians. In the case of CTS, acupuncturists often treat the kidney, gallbladder and liver meridians where energy may be blocked. Acupuncture points located on these meridians are stimulated by acupuncture and heat applications. Once blocked qi begins to flow and qi circulation improves, CTS symptoms can be reduced.
There are many different acupuncture treatments for CTS, including local needling, moxibustion, electrical stimulation, and distal needling (needling distant parts of the body). Individuals treated with both constitutional and selected acupuncture points targeting CTS pain experience significant improvement. Depending on the severity of the condition, biweekly acupuncture treatments often result in symptom improvement after the first two weeks of treatment.
For more information about acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, at (305) 595-9500.
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