Carpal Tunnel Symptoms

• Pins and Needles

• Numbness or Tingle

• Burn

• If symptoms occur frequently, your hand muscles can become weak, causing difficulty to grip objects.

• Occurs in females more than males with a peak onset is 45-60 years.

• Pregnant women in their second and third trimester.

• Square shaped wrists.

• Overweight.

• A job that involves repeated forceful movements of your wrist, such as using a screwdriver, typing for long periods of time, making coffee as a barista.

• Previous trauma or fracture to the wrist.

• Rheumatoid arthritis or Osteo-arthritis in the wrist joint.

Tests performed include tapping on your wrist, asking you to bend the palm of your hand to see if the symptoms are reproduced. We will also check your spine, shoulder, forearm and wrist bone to see if they are contributing to the wrist pain.

Massage treatment focuses on warming up the muscles in the forearms, wrist and shoulder, re-aligning the muscle and releasing trigger points.  This aims to relieve the wrist pain by reducing the pressure on the median nerve.

If we are not sure that we can help you we will refer you to a GP or a neurologist to perform a nerve conduction test. This test can show if there’s any damage to your median nerve.

• To change the way you work e;  Changing the mouse pad to the other hand

• Take regular breaks

• Shaking your hands when they’re numb.

• Apply an ice pack or ice wrapped in a towel to help with inflammation in the wrist. You shouldn’t apply ice directly to your skin as this can damage your skin.

• Wrist splints or wrist supports can help to keep your wrist straight and reduce pressure on the compressed nerve.

• Gently stretching your wrist against wall or with the opposite hand can help increase wrist motion. Make sure that you do not over stretch by being in pain. If you would like further information please contact us.

• While you are stretching your wrists against wall or prior to stretching, you can apply ice. Apply ice to the whole forearm & wrist, (wrist extensors and flexors).

• Why use ice? Ice can desensitize the pain and allow you to stretch further. Ice is also a natural way  to help reduce inflammation. Please contact us if you have any questions.

• Stretching the pec muscle (pectoralis major & minor muscle) can help take the pressure off he nerve that branches down the arm to the wrist. Make sure you gently lean against a wall and hold for up to 30 seconds.