Monday, October 27, 2008

Massage for Carpal Tunnel

By Bodhi Mcleod, LMT

Carpal Tunnel is a common problem in today's society, and it's no wonder with how much time people spend on computers and doing repetitive tasks for work. Recent studies have revealed that massage is safe and effective in bringing relief, as well as economical. (Touch Research Institutes)

Carpal Tunnel is indicated by pain in the wrists and forearms, and sometimes tingling, numbness or even burning. It can cause a loss of grip strength and even be disabling.

It's not always easy to know what causes carpal tunnel, but one of the main causes is nerve compression, also called nerve entrapment or impingement.

Nerve impingements are caused by pressure being placed on the nerves. Muscular tension can pull the skeletal system out of alignment, which can press nerves against bone and inhibit the flow of the nervous system. It's like stepping on a garden hose and inhibiting the flow of water.

You know the feeling you get when your arm or leg "falls asleep?" That's the feeling of nerve conduction being restricted. When you think about this, it's easy to understand why carpal tunnel (and other nerve entrapment conditions like sciatica) can be so painful.

Much of the massage work I do deals with returning the body to better alignment and releasing nerve impingements. Sometimes clients feel the nerve flow returning in the form of a tingling or "zapping" sensation down their arm.

Like any type of therapy, massage is most effective if used regularly for a period of time. But it's so much safer and more effective than surgery, which often doesn't work or even makes it worse, leading to more surgeries. - 14130

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