Carpal tunnel syndrome

Written by Slawomir (“Swavak”) Gromadzki, MPH

Carpal tunnel syndrome is an arm and hand condition that causes tingling, numbness, pain and other symptoms. It is caused by a pinched (trapped) nerve in the wrist. The condition is generally more common in women.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME natural treatment

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Bound by ligaments and bones, the carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway located on the palm side of the wrist. It protects the main nerve going through the hand. Compression of this nerve which can be caused by different factors produces the numbness, pain, tingling slowly leading to hand weakness and the carpal tunnel syndrome.

Usually an inflammation such as arthritis or anything that irritates or compresses the median nerve going through the carpal tunnel can lead to the condition.

Some chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, increase your risk of nerve damage, including damage to the median nerve.

Illnesses that are characterized by inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can affect the tendons in your wrist, exerting pressure on your median nerve.

Alterations in the balance of body fluids. Fluid retention may increase the pressure within your carpal tunnel, irritating the median nerve.

Certain conditions, such as menopause, obesity, thyroid disorders and kidney failure, may increase your chances of CTS.

It’s possible that working with vibrating tools or on an assembly line that requires prolonged or repetitive flexing of the wrist may create harmful pressure on the median nerve or worsen existing nerve damage.

Some individuals claim they developed carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of chronic masturbation or sleeping with twisted hands (wrists) turned towards lower arms.

A number of other factors can contribute to this condition, including the anatomy and lifestyle factors (diet, nutritional deficiencies, toxins, stress, side effects of using medication, lack of antioxidants, etc.).

However, in many cases, no single cause can be identified. It may be that a combination of many risk factors contributes to the development of CTS.

SYMPTOMS

Carpal tunnel syndrome usually starts gradually with numbness or tingling in your thumb, index and middle fingers that comes and goes. This sensation often occurs while holding a steering wheel, phone or newspaper or, commonly, waking you from sleeping. The sensation may extend from your wrist up your arm. As the disorder progresses, the numb feeling may become constant. You may also experience weakness in your hand and a tendency to drop objects.

CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT

Fortunately, proper treatment usually leads to the recovery from this condition. Carpal tunnel syndrome should be treated as early as possible after you begin to experience symptoms. Treatment options include wrist splinting, medications and surgery.

Corticosteroids decrease inflammation and swelling, which relieves pressure on the median nerve. Oral corticosteroids aren’t considered as effective as corticosteroid injections for treating carpal tunnel syndrome. Unfortunately, drugs such as corticosteroids cause bad side effects. For this reason it is much better to treat the problem, eliminate inflammation and pain using natural methodes listed below.

If carpal tunnel syndrome results from an inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, then treating the arthritis may reduce symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The goal of carpal tunnel surgery is to relieve pressure on your median nerve by cutting the ligament pressing on the nerve.

LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS

Your wrist needs to relax and rest as often as possible. If you use equipment that vibrates or that requires your hand to exert a great amount of force, taking breaks is even more important.

Avoid bending your wrist all the way up or down, and make sure you don’t bend your wrist while sleeping.

Modify or change daily activities that put pressure on wrists.

If you use a computer, have a proper and adjustable keyboard table and chair.

Keep your hands warm. If you can’t control the temperature at work, put on fingerless gloves.

VERY EFFECTIVE WATER TREATMENT

In the morning and evening make hot and cold alternative water applications such as ice pack and hot compress on your wrist, changing from hot to cold every two or three minutes. Altogether try to make at least 5 alterations. It will greatly improve blood circulation in your wrist and help to reduce pain and inflammation. If you prefer you can do the same by keeping your hand in a container with very hot and very cold or icy water.

CASTOR OIL PACK

Apply cold-pressed castor oil to a cloth, loosely wrap around wrist, and cover with clingy plastic wrap. Apply a heating pad for about an hour, or sleep with the pack without using a heating pad. Do this for 4-6 nights per week or every other night until improvement occurs.

SUPPLEMENTS AND HERBAL REMEDIES

The following supplements will help you to detoxify the body, eliminate inflammation, strengthen and regenerate trapped nerve and improve blood circulation:

– Vitamin B6 (50-100mg daily after breakfast, with a good multivitamin or B complex). There is an evidence that the swelling and inelasticity of the sheath surrounding a nerve in the wrist may be also due to the Vitamin B6 deficiency. Research shows that Pyridoxine helps interrupt the irritated nerve’s ability to transmit pain signals.

– Vitamin B12 (must be sublingual Methylcobalamin and not Cyanocobalamin): 2,000 mcg of good quality methylcobalamin such as MetCobin (HealthAid) under tongue only in the morning after breakfast.

– Chlorella: Contains nucleic acids DNA and RNA believed to help reverse neurological damage. Since Chlorella is a powerful detoxifier and energy booster it is better to start with a smaller dose such as 1 teaspoon or 3 tablets 30 minutes before breakfast and the same amount 30 minutes before lunch with 2 glasses of water, vegetable juice or smoothie. Then gradually increase the intake every day (by approximately 1 tablet) until reaching the maximum dose of 2 or 3 heaped tablespoons or 10 – 20 tablets (500mg) 30 min before breakfast and the same amount 30 min before lunch. Altogether you can take 2-6 round tablespoons or about 20-40 tablets (500mg per tablet) of chlorella a day. The dose of course also depends on age and body weight. After three months instead of Chlorella use Spirulina or even better Clean Greens (Pukka) for a month or two and then come back to Chlorella.

– Alpha lipoic acid: 2 times a day 250-300mg. Alpha lipoic acid has proven its ability to prevent oxidative stress caused by radicals and other factors in nerve tissue. It helps to maintain high glutathione levels which are found to be depleted in individuals diagnosed with neurological conditions. Current research also reveals protective effects of alpha lipoic acid in neuropathy, excitotoxic amino acid brain injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, and other causes of damage to neural or brain tissue.

Learn more about Alpha Lipoic Acid >

– Another excellent remedy to deal with this problem is Acetyl-L-carnitine >:

– Curcumin (from Turmeric) or ground Turmeric may have therapeutic activity in treating inflammations.

– In order to detoxify your body from mercury take high doses of Chlorella >

READ MORE: CHLORELLA >

– You must take Vitamin D3 because almost all people in the UK are deficient in Vitamin D which has powerfull antiinflammatory properties! While using vitamin D3 supplements always remember to take also well absorbed magnesium (such as citrate) as vitamin D supplements lead to magnesium deficiency over time. If you can’t afford higher doses take at least 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day with meal. But since deficiency of this vitamin is so widespread (especially in the UK) it would be better to take 20,000 to 30,000 IU a day with meals with appropriate doses of magnesium. Children need lower doses of D3 of course. Another requirement for proper absorption of vitamin D is 200 mcg of Vitamin K2 MK-7 (Derived from Natural Natto) a day. Read more about vitamin D >

The most important way of obtaining vitamin D is of course through regular sun exposures during summer time between 10am and 2pm. Vitamin D has properties that defend against cell injury caused via free radicals and it affects detoxification pathways which are of importance in disc cell nutritional balance. Vitamin D also affects sensory neurons to modulate pain, influences neuron excitability and acts at the level of substantia gelatinosa and spinal ganglion in the process of sensory perception.
Since vitamin D supplements lead to magnesium deficiency, and because according to recent studies almost every in the UK person is now deficient not only in vitamin D but also magnesium, you must take 400 to 800mg of good quality magnesium every day.

– Magnesium citrate or another well absorbed magnesium: 2 times a day 200-400 mg between meals. The more vitamin D3 is used the more magnesium must be taken as D3 leads to magnesium deficiency.

Evidence is overwhelming that low levels of magnesium contribute to the heavy metal deposition in the brain that precedes different neurological conditions.

– Good quality multivitamin-mineral formula (high in B vitamins): 1 tablet after breakfast. Please do not buy cheap formulas as their potency is very low and they contain only short list of inorganic ingredients. It must be a good quality formula such as Healthy Mega (HealthAid), VM75 (Solgar) or Special Two (NOW Foods) which are an excellent multi-vitamin and mineral formulas fortified with alfalfa powder, rutin, citrus bioflavonoids, bromelain, herbs, digestive enzymes and many other super nutrients. If your diet is very healthy and you stay away from refined foods, sugar and stimulants then take only 1/2 tablet after breakfast.

– Since Vitamin B complex (B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, Folate) play very important role in dealing with ADHD I recommand getting B complex with a good quality multivitamin-mineral formula which is high in B vitamins.

– At the same time read carefully the Health Recovery Plan and do your must to implement all the principles until recovery. Most important, make sure every day you include in your diet: Fresh cold-pressed vegetable juices, fresh raw sprouts, and raw vegetable salads. In addition, you must avoid or significantly reduce intake of all animal foods (meat, dairy), sugar, refined foods, processed foods, stimulants (coffee, tea, other caffeinated products, chocolate, alcohol, smoking etc.).

In case your CTS is resistant to this treatment go on HALLELUJAH DIET for about 6 months and at the same time keep on using the above mentioned remedies and recommendations.

If your blood sugar is higher than normal address the problem according to the description included in DIABETES >

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