Best 15 Home Remedies for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome- Explore!

Do you feel numbness, tingling and a burning sensation in your fingers? Do you feel as if losing the grip sometimes? You may have carpal syndrome. Here we delve into the symptoms and causes of carpal tunnel syndrome and the most effective home remedies for carpal tunnel syndrome to alleviate your symptoms.

Before moving on to the crux of the blog, let’s know the anatomy of carpal tunnel to get some insights on how our hand works and how the carpal tunnel syndrome occurs.

Anatomy of Carpal Tunnel

As the name suggests, carpal tunnel is a tunnel or passage through which the median nerve passes to the fingers. The median nerve is one of the significant nerves which comes out of the spine at the neck. It comes out of the neck as a group of nerve roots and merges into one in the arm, moves down the arm, elbow, forearm and branches out near the base of the hand to move to the thumb and fingers. The median nerve gives sensation to the area from the thumb to half of the ring finger.

The carpal tunnel forms with the carpal bones or wrist bones surrounding it on three sides as a covering. The thick connective tissue band of transverse carpal ligament covers the top of the tunnel. There is enough space for the median nerve and, nine flexor tendons, which help to bend the fingers and thumb to pass through this tunnel. The carpal tunnel on its own never shrinks in size.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a neurological health condition affecting the major nerves passing through the wrist to the fingers. When the median nerves, which passes through the transverse carpal ligament, gets compressed, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs.

How does it get compressed? When the flexor tendons swell, it presses onto the median nerve and restricts the blood flow. This pressure creates numbness, tingling (pins and needles), pain and weakness in the middle finger to the thumb area.

Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Arthritis: Degenerative diseases like rheumatoid arthritis in the wrist may cause swelling in the wrist joint or the tendons passing through carpal tunnel and presses on the median nerves.
• Repetitive motion: Repetitive activities like typing on the keyboard, and playing piano for a prolonged period may damage the tendons in the wrist causing swellings and pressing the median nerves.
• Diabetes: In diabetic patients, when the blood sugars settle on the wrist tendons preventing it free movement and leads to CTS.
• Hereditary: People with mutated genes may have square wrists, thicker transverse ligaments, smaller carpal tunnel spaces or short statures. Such people are at risk at developing CTS.
• Pregnancy: During pregnancy, due to hormonal imbalance, the body retains fluids, which could soften the ligaments forming carpal tunnel. This could make the median nerve compressed.
• Obesity: Fluid accumulation in tissue spaces, hypertension and other inflammatory conditions found in people with overweight can lead to CTS.
• Thyroid problems: When the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones (hypothyroidism), it can lead to the deposition of mucopolysaccharides on the median nerve and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
• Wrist fractures: Fractures in the wrist can narrow the carpal tunnel space and constrict the median nerve.
• Vibratory tools: Using hand-held electric-powered tools like jackhammers often can lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be diagnosed in the following methods.

• Electromyography: By inserting a thin-electrode needle into the muscles around the median nerve, the physicians evaluate the electrical activity while the muscles contract and rest. It can help identifying the nerve damage in the carpal tunnel region.
• Nerve conduction study: During this study, two electrodes are placed near the wrist area and small amount of electricity is passed through the median nerve to see the electrical impulses in the carpal tunnel.
• Physical examination: A complete physical examination of the neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist can eliminate other causes like arthritis or fractures.
• Phalen test: During this test, the patient is asked to keep the elbow on a surface and make the wrist fall freely. If the patient experiences numbness and tingling soon, then the possibility of CTS can be affirmed.
• Tinel’s test: When the physician taps over the median nerve, it would produce a tingling feeling in the fingers.
• Ultrasonography: Ultrasound of the median nerve closely captures of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome signs and symptoms and severity of the CTS.
• X-ray: X-rays are only used to rule out other conditions like arthritis or wrist fracture. They cannot be used to actually diagnose Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

You may have some recurring questions regarding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome like,-

How can I cure my carpal tunnel naturally?/ Can carpal tunnel go away on its own?/ How can I stop carpal tunnel pain at night? or How to relieve carpal tunnel pain?. We try to answer these questions under the below section.

Best Home Remedies for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Let’s move on to the focus of the blog- the home remedies for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Following the given listed remedies can relieve most of the minor to moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms. The most important carpal tunnel syndrome treatment at home are as follows:

1. Proper Rest: Giving adequate rest to the wrist can relieve the CTS symptoms to an extent. While lying on your back, give proper support to the wrists by elevating it with pillows. Otherwise wrap it with towels or bandage to prevent the wrists from bending. This will resolve carpal tunnel pain at night.

2. Anti-Vibration Gloves: Anti-vibration gloves with air pockets in the palm region reduce the absorption of the vibration to the wrist. Shortest exposure to the vibration tools with these gloves can be helpful.

3. Breaks from Repetitive Tasks: Taking breaks now and then from the repetitive tasks can relieve the CTS symptoms.

4. Wrist Splint or Brace: Wearing wrist splint or brace can reduce the pressure on the wrist and median nerve by providing enough rest to the wrist.

5. Massages & Ice or heat therapy: Massages to relax the tendons in the wrist can reduce the pressure on the median nerve. Ice and heat therapy when used together can bring desired relief from Carpal Tunnel pain. Ice therapy numbs the pain in the carpal tunnel and reduce the swelling and pressure on the median nerve. On the other hand, heat therapy promotes healing and restores damaged tissues. This is one of the best home remedies for carpal tunnel during pregnancy along with other exercises.

6. Soft Tool Grips: Handling the tools softly can reduce the pressure on the median nerve. For example, tapping the keys on the keyboard softly, relaxing the grip in the tools, adding soft grip covering on the handles can help.

7. Wrist Stretches: Mild wrist stretches can relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms. However, while doing the hand stretches, remember not to trigger pain or injury. If you feel any pain, stop the stretches immediately and consult a doctor. You can consider wrist exercises like the ones discussed below:

8. Over the Counter Medications: Taking over the counter medications like as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), which can reduce the pain and inflammation.

• Hand Squeeze: Involves squeezing a soft ball or rolled-up socks to strengthen forearm muscles. It’s done in sets of repetitions and helps improve grip strength.
• Median Nerve Glide: Designed to improve nerve mobility, this exercise involves a series of hand and thumb movements, each held for a few seconds. It’s beneficial for relieving nerve compression and can be done multiple times daily.
• Tendon Glides: This exercise, which involves different finger and thumb positions, helps stretch the tendons in the carpal tunnel. Repeating these movements several times a day can aid in alleviating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
• Extension (wrist): This exercise involves extending the arm forward and bending the wrist back, like a “stop” sign, to stretch the inner forearm. It’s repeated five times for each arm and can be done daily as a warm-up before activities involving gripping.
• Flexion (wrist): This stretches the outer forearm by extending the arm and bending the wrist downward. It’s repeated five times on each arm and can also be performed daily, particularly as a warm-up for gripping exercises.
• Wrist Lifts: Strengthens forearm muscles by lifting the wrist against resistance provided by the other hand. This exercise, repeated ten times for each wrist, is good for forearm strength.
• Wrist Rotation: Rotate your wrist from side to side and up and down in a slow pace and repeat it for some time.
• Wrist Stretch using Weights: This uses light weights to stretch forearm flexor muscles, involving lifting the hand towards the arm. Repeated in sets, it’s beneficial for forearm flexibility and strength.

9. Acupressure: Stimulating the median nerve at acupressure point P6, which is three finger down from the wrist in the forearm, can alleviate the CTS pain by improving the blood flow and relieving the pressure on the median nerve. Massaging the pressure point with the thumb for half a minute can be helpful.

10. Reflexology: Reflexology can relieve the pressure on the median nerve. Through reflexology, you can give pressure on the various reflex points in the hand and unlock the joints in the wrists.

11. Vitamin D: According to the NCBI, Vitamin D intake for at least 12 weeks will result in better pain improvement, functionality and increased sensory conduction velocity.

12. Fish oil: Fish oil supplements rich with omega-3 fats-DHA and EPA can reduce inflammation and CTS pain. Instead you can take fishes rich in Omega-3 like salmon, sardines, and tuna.

13. Topical Pain Ointments: Pain balms containing menthol like Blue Emu, Biofreeze, Tiger Balm, and Topricin can be used for pain reliefs to an extent. Diclofenac sodium based gels also can alleviate the pain temporarily.

14. Essential Oils: Extracts including eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, and frankincense are known for their anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. They can be incorporated into oils and creams to help reduce the symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. These essential oils for carpal tunnel syndrome can work wonders.

15. Yoga: As per the data available with the NCBI, Yoga-based treatment was proved to be more effective in relieving Carpal Tunnel Syndromes. Yoga stretches reduces stress and anxiety and thus reduces the pressure on the median nerve. Since Yoga exercises target the fingers, hands and arms, they can very well constrict the inflammation and pain in the carpal tunnel.

Though home remedies for carpal tunnel syndrome can alleviate symptoms, it is best to consult a physician to diagnose the cause and severity of the condition. When the carpal tunnel syndrome home remedies fail to bring resolution for your symptoms, you need to think of the alternate solutions. Let’s discuss about the other optional treatments other than the home treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome in case the home remedies fail.

Other Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment Options

Steroid injections

Corticosteroid injection is better than its tablet counterparts. A steroid injection done at the wrist can reduce the inflammation and resolve the pain. Soon after the injection, there will be some carpal tunnel flare-ups, which will resolve in one or two days. One injection can provide relief up to six months. Depending the severity of pain, you may need one or more steroid injections. However, in chronic carpal tunnel symptoms, it cannot provide permanent relief.

Surgeries

When the conventional treatments and corticosteroid injections fail to bring relief, surgical interventions are recommended.

Open carpal tunnel release surgery: In this surgery, a cut is made at the wrist and the transverse ligament covering the carpal tunnel on top is cut off to release the pressure on the median nerve. The severed transverse ligament will heal producing the scar tissue over it.

Endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery: During this surgery, through a small incision, a camera and a tool to cut the transverse ligament is inserted and the ligament is cut off to relieve the median nerve.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome surgery recovery may take a few weeks to few months, depending on the severity of nerve damage.

To sum up,

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can make your daily life extremely strenuous and painful. Mild to moderate symptoms can be resolved with effective home remedies for Carpal tunnel Syndrome. Healing carpal tunnel syndrome naturally would be better. However, once the home remedies fail to alleviate your symptoms, it is better to consult a physician to prevent further nerve damage which could be hard to resolve without surgery.