Carpal tunnel is when there is compression of the nerves due to swelling in the carpal tunnel of the wrist. The symptoms of carpal tunnel are but not limited to weakness in the hand/wrist/ and or fingers, numbing and tingling in the wrist/ hand and or fingers, swollen fingers, localized pain, burning feeling in wrist/hand/ fingers. Carpal tunnel can be caused by almost anything that squeezes/ compresses or causes the area where the median nerve runs through the tunnel. Some examples of contributing factors are increased water retention, wrist fractures, vibrations from tools, medications, repetitive flexing, typing, mouse use, etc..
What can Kinesiology do?
At MRMT we practice a Kinesiopathic model to treat low back pain. We will find the route cause of why these injuries may have happened, we will determine the phase of healing you are in (how acute the injury is), assess your biomechanics (if you hurt your back during an olympic lift, back squat, bench press etc… we will do a biomechanics analysis of these lifts to make sure the correct muscles are being used.) We then find your strength and mobility imbalances in the joints above and below to get a complete look at how your system is functioning. There is no exact protocol because each injury is different. The treatment will be tailored to what we find in you.
How can massage help?
Depending on why the nerve is compressed will depend on if massage can help. Massage can help when it is a repetitive injury from using a mouse typing, wrist in constant flexion, etc… When we decrease the amount of tension in the forearm in can cause less swelling in the carpal tunnel because the tendons will not be pulling. For other conditions we can do lymphatic drainage for temporary relieve to decrease swelling. Medical intervention will need to happen if massage, chiro, or physiotherapy does not help.