Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common condition that causes tingling, pain and numbness of one or both hands.
The symptoms of this condition can disrupt sleep, and is often most painful first thing in the morning. We use a combination of massage and acupuncture to help relieve the discomfort of carpal tunnel syndrome.
We work holistically, so if there are systemic factors contributing to the carpal tunnel syndrome such as fluid retention, we will aim to treat that as well as the local pain.
Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is cause by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel at the wrist.
It is much more common in women than in men and is often experienced during pregnancy. Symptoms include:
- Numbness, tingling, burning, swelling of the hand and fingers
- Pain that is worse on waking and can disrupt sleep
- Pain sometimes radiates up the arm to the elbow and shoulder
- Pain is made worse by use of the hands
Standard treatments include splinting of the hands at night, steroids and surgery.
How can acupuncture help carpal tunnel syndrome?
Research carried out by a team at Harvard medical school found that acupuncture helped to reduce the patient’s experience of pain and discomfort at the wrist, and also led to changes in specific areas of the brain associated with sensitivity to pain, as measured by MRI. The researchers concluded that improvements elicited by acupuncture “can predict long-term clinical outcomes for carpal tunnel syndrome.”
Acupuncture channels cross over the carpal tunnel region and points on these channels can help to disperse stagnation, aid circulation and relive the nerve discomfort.
Islington Acupuncture:
For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
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