Fashion
Massage Therapyfor Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Rachael vander Bol-Costa,
Certified Massage Therapist
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has become a well-knownphrase in the last decade. The exploding numbers of computer usersin jobs and the millions of people who now spend hours each dayon the Internet have made this syndrome commonplace. So what isCarpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)?
Although many people have heard the phraseand know it means your wrists hurt, not many know exactly whatit is, what causes it, and most importantly, what can be doneto prevent and treat it.
The Carpal Tunnel is a space created bythe bones and soft tissues in the anterior (front) of the wrist.Many tendons, nerves, arteries and veins are contained in thisspace. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a nerve compression injury causedby the compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel bythe flexor tendons. These tendons are connected to the flexormuscles that bend the wrist.
The inflammation of the tendons that endup causing the nerve compression may be attributed to a numberof different factors. Some of the possible causes are: repetitionof certain movements; high force loads on the wrist; awkward jointposition; direct compression; vibration. Also, Carpal Tunnel Syndromeis often seen in pregnant women. During pregnancy, water retentionor swelling may lead to the narrowing of the carpal tunnel sothat any use of the flexor tendons could cause compression ofthe median nerve.
There are a couple of different tests tofind out if Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is indeed the source of pain.Other problems such as hairline fractures or even Trigger Pointsthat refer pain into the wrist and hand could cause pain feltin the wrist. It is important to know where the pain is comingfrom before beginning any treatment.
That brings us to treatment options forCTS. These range from stopping the activities that caused it toundergoing surgery. It is my opinion that the least invasive optionsshould be tried first. Massage therapy can be very helpful inrelieving Trigger Points if that is the source of the pain. Itcan also be a tremendous help in stretching the flexor musclesto reduce the overall tension in the area. Massage, specific stretchingand range of motion exercises may be all you need to find relieffrom wrist pain and discomfort.
Rachael van der Bol-Costa
Under The Palms