Carpal tunnel natural treatments?

[TestifyToLove]

I know chiropractor care helps, but the last time I was seeing a chiro she left me unable to walk she messed up my back so badly. It's not just one either, it's happened everytime I've tried chiro care in my life. I have lourdosis (back spine curves too far inward, must like a gymnast but mine is genetic and not from exercise). It seems to completely counter whatever chiros normally do for backs and completely mess up my pelvis to boot.

So, I am not willing to try a chiropractor even though it DID help my carpal tunnel last time.

I've been doing massage for 18 months but we're moving and the idea of trying to find a new massage therapist is daunting, so I will likely not do it (or won't do it well or consistently).

I had surgery on my right wrist four years ago and experienced permanent range of motion and strength alterations. I had reached a point where I could not make the pain go away and it was good for that aspect. However, I am left-handed and I'm not ready to risk those complications with my dominant hand.

I HAVE to be able to do nursing skills, especially start an IV, and if I had those complications with my dominant hand, I would lose function I cannot afford to lose.

I wear a wrist brace at night. I take ibuprofen, some days on the dot others just morning and evening. I sometimes have to wear my night brace all day to get the pain to stop now.

I try to avoid salt but it doesn't always happen. I can definitely tell when I had too much salt because it flares worse for the next two days every single time. I cannot switch to Naproxen because I have side effects from it.

So, is there anything else I CAN do other than seek out an Orthoped for surgery and risk it? I really would like to get through grad school before I risk compromising the functioning of my dominant hand, but that is another 4.5-5 years and I don't know if I can drag this out that long.

[Aerynne]

Do you have hypothyroidism? If so, getting that under control would help. (carpal tunnel is a symptom of hypothyroidism).

Also do you have a recent albumin blood test? If your albumin is low then getting that up would help.

Basically it sounds to me like it's from water retention if salt makes it worse. So I'm wondering about things that might make you retain water.

[Marsha]

Any inflammation would do it too. Would an anti-inflammatory help? Do you know all the conservation techniques to keep from continually inflaming the carpal tunnel? I know you know this, but the longer you put off the surgery, the more atrophy and weakness you experience. And you don't usually regain it. If you do surgery early, you usually regain full strength or at least whatever strength you showed up to surgery with.

[The Tickle Momster]

Stinging nettle has been shown to help.

T-Tapp workouts help keep mine in check.

Knowing where it stems from can help a lot. Mine is not from repetitive motion. I have an extra bone in my neck that tends to pinch the nerve bundle. This explains why wrist braces don't help me at all.

[TestifyToLove]

I do have hypothyroidism but it's currently well controlled. I use anti-inflammatories. It is sometimes salt related. I'm on a biologic that reduces my inflammation and immune system but it's not impacting the carpal tunnel at all.

[Weezie]

So I am not sure what they are called, but I get them from my chiro. I buy these little magnets that look like they are on circle bandaids, and they work like magic! They stay on, even when showering. I put them near the pain and within a day, the pain is gone and stays gone. Eventually the sticky wears off, and I can go months sometimes without pain. I currently can't take pain meds that actually work (pg) so these are a great alternative!

[Kiara.I]

Have a look at the book Pain Free by Pete Egoscue. He has exercises that help. And they are positioning exercises, not huff-and-puff exercises, so they tend to fall into the "can't hurt, might help, worth a try" category. Our library system has the book, yours might.

I can link to two of the ones for wrist pain in it, hang on...

http://www.egoscue.com/WebMenus/QTVideo/237.html
http://palmbeachegoscue.wordpress.co...g-elbow-curls/

These might be helpful, but the exercises are of course carefully selected, and doing the whole "menu" for wrist pain in order would probably be more effective than just the two exercises. Still, it's a sample for you to try.

[Soliloquy]

T-Tapp and turmeric really helped mine. And, of course, giving my wrists a break from the repetitive activity which isn't always possible.

[FaithnPraise]

Last bad carpal tunnel I had was during my first pregnancy, I used topical arnica.