Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment For Everyone
One of the most interesting and highly lauded treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome is art of acupuncture. At the most basic level, acupuncture involves the insertion or “spinning” of very thin needles into specific places in the body. This is believed to create a better flow of energy through the body along lines known as meridians. Once the needles are removed, people find that they have better energy and even find that certain medical conditions are much improved. One interpretation for why acupuncture works the way that it it does is that it encourages the release of natural pain-killers into the body while encouraging healthy blood flow. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, the needles are inserted into points on your arm, wrist, thumb and hand, though you might also have needles spun into your neck, upper back and legs.
There is no set number of acupuncture sessions that you will need; it will tend to depend on you health, the severity of your CTS and how rough you tend to be on your hands on a day to day basis.
While keeping in mind that the needles do not hurt when inserted, you may find that you are more drawn to a process known as laser acupuncture, where a hand-held laser is used instead of a needle.
36 people who had a median pain with regards to CTS were observed both on and off acupuncture over a period of two years. While fourteen of these people got surgery for this problem and saw no results, all the subjects received three laser acupuncture sessions that were provided every week or around a month. At the end of the study, 33 people out of the original three dozen had their CTS pain disappear or at least cut in half, even those who had had unsuccessful surgeries. Over the next two years, it was discovered that the pain only returned for two people out of 23, both of whom where then treated using the same methods with success.
According to an announcement in 19997, the National Institutes of Health has declared that acupuncture is a viable and useful supplement treatment to issues related to CTS and can be a great addition to any overall management plan for CTS. However, keep in mind that the NIH did not declare that acupuncture was actually a cure for CTS, because there is not enough information stating that it is a powerful cure all on its own. While the findings were impressive, 36 people is not a great sample size and it is important to remember that acupuncture was not the only treatment used. That study also included traditional acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal remedies and nutritional supplements as well as moxibustion.
But there might be a simpler and much less expensive treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome that doesn’t require any acupuncture, as good as it is. There are physical exercises that can be done which are designed to relieve CTS symptoms. These won’t necessarily require you to make any changes to your diet, and you won’t have to see a doctor to do them.
