Instead of relaxing in a restful sleep, many people are kept awake at night by pain in their hands. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome range from tingling in the fingertips and numbness to loss of feeling and severe pain. At the...
In carpal tunnel syndrome, a specific nerve in the wrist area is constricted, causing discomfort and pain. If the symptoms occur frequently or are persistent, an operation is usually performed. Complications are not uncommon. Luckily, there has recently been a gentle way to treat carpal tunnel syndrome that has the same effect as surgery.
From tingling in the fingertips to damage
Carpal tunnel syndrome causes damage to the median nerve (central nerve). This, along with various tendons, runs through the carpal tunnel, a space between the carpal bones and the carpal ligament above. The median nerve is responsible for touch and touch on the palm of the hand and controls certain muscles of the hand and fingers.
Due to a bottleneck in the carpal tunnel, increased pressure is exerted on the nerve, and the pinched nerve begins to hurt. The pain is accompanied by tingling, numbness and discomfort in the thumb, index and middle finger, and the whole hand often feels furry and swollen. The symptoms occur more often at night while sleeping or after riding a bike or using the phone, as the hands are bent. The symptoms usually disappear quickly when you shake them. In the later stages, the symptoms become chronic. In addition, gripping movements become more difficult because the ball of the thumb recedes.
Carpal tunnel syndrome treatment should be done early
Treating carpal tunnel syndrome early can prevent permanent damage to the median nerve. Anyone who notices typical symptoms should therefore definitely consult a doctor.
Once carpal tunnel syndrome has been diagnosed through tests and measurements, those affected are usually first prescribed a wrist splint. This should prevent the hand from breaking off at night. Usually, however, this rail only brings short-term relief. If you also wear them during the day, you risk stiffening your wrist due to lack of movement.
If the symptoms do not improve, surgery is recommended. The roof of the carpal canal is split and the nerve canal is widened. This reduces the pressure on the nerve and the symptoms disappear. However, the operation is often associated with long absences and complications such as persistent discomfort or hypersensitivity and hardening of the scar often occur.
Pain can be gently relieved by mechanical stretching.
Recently there has been a way to effectively treat the painful carpal tunnel syndrome yourself without an operation – with curpal®. The new therapy method does exactly the same thing that the operation does: It widens the carpal tunnel, which can lead to a quick and noticeable relief of the symptoms. This method of mechanical stretching is new in Germany, whereas it has been used in the USA for a long time. curpal® is a further development of the American device.
What makes treatment with curpal® so effective?
The cuff of the curpal system is shaped like the letter C. The principle of the treatment consists in pushing the hand into this C and using a hand pump, similar to a sphygmomanometer, to inflate an air cushion in the curpal® handpiece. This creates tension in the hand that stretches the carpal canal. The stretching gives the nerve running in the carpal canal (median nerve) more space, the pressure on the nerve decreases and the symptoms of nerve pressure, such as tingling in the fingers, pain at night or numbness, subside.
Since curpal® has only been on the market since autumn 2016, there are still no representative studies on its effect. However, numerous users confirm that the success of the treatment can be felt after just a few days when carpal tunnel syndrome begins. The more advanced carpal tunnel syndrome is, the longer it may take for symptoms to improve.
"In the beginning it was just a tingling in the fingertips."
Left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause severe damage to the median nerve and loss of grip. Therefore, carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms must always be taken seriously and clarified.
curpal® is the first and only possibility in Germany to effectively treat the painful carpal tunnel syndrome without surgery. The cuff widens the carpal tunnel, which usually relieves the symptoms quickly.
focus reported online about the symptoms and what you can do yourself. Just click on the picture and read on.
