Doctors’ Recommendations for Patients Who Want to Accelerate Their Recovery from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Thank you!

Thank you for your commitment to use the Carpal Solution. Neurologists say it is the best first line treatment to get control of your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome while protecting yourself from the risks and potential complications of repeated surgical procedures.

Most people rid of their worst symptoms in 2 – 3 weeks and complete remission within the 6 Week Carpal Solution Stretching Protocol. It jump-starts your body’s natural healing process that has been shut down by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is cyclical in nature and once you break the cycle that is creating pressure on the nerve, you can put the symptoms in remission for 2 to 7 years, without any further treatment, in most cases.

As a nerve disorder it is common for People with CTS to respond differently to therapy of any kind. There is a wide range of responses from patients. Some patients get rid of their worst symptoms in the first night of Carpal Solution Therapy. Most people get better within two to three weeks of consistent Carpal Solution Therapy.

Some people with persistent symptoms experience 40% to 80% relief in the first six weeks and need to continue with a more aggressive therapy to get complete remission.

Others experience the Soft Tissue Transition where their Symptoms start feeling worse for a week or two before they start to improve. Still other people feel no relief, but are determined to avoid surgery and it can take up to 5 weeks before they start feeling any relief from the therapy.

Some people use this protocol while they are waiting to receive their Carpal Solution Therapy package.

Some people just want to accelerate the healing process and help jump start their body’s natural process.

Whatever the case with you, you will find that doing these additional steps will help to accelerate the natural healing your body is capable of doing. The emphasis here is on the natural healing of soft tissue injury. It is the best way for most people to control their Carpal Tunnel Symptoms and avoid surgery.

Sometimes stretching therapy does cause discomfort for a few weeks, just like stretching for an athlete before an athletic event can be somewhat uncomfortable, but the stretching helps them restore flexibility to their muscles and joints before they perform.

If you are determined, you can accelerate your recovery from Carpal Tunnel and avoid the risks of surgical procedures. What the Doctors recommend to their patients wanting to accelerate their recovery is using the Carpal Solution Treatment combined with daily alternating Ice and Heat Therapy, Deep Tissue Massage, Anti-Inflammatory Diet, and Daytime stretching Therapy also combined with Interferential Current Therapy one to three times per week for two weeks.

1. Continue using the Carpal Solution Every Night

Continue using the Carpal Solution Every Night for 2 weeks and then every other night for four weeks.

After the first two weeks you can continue wearing the Carpal Solution every night and reuse the Carpal Solution devices as described below to accelerate your recovery.

Most people don’t need to do this, but Some people in your situation reuse the Carpal Solution Taping Device for up to two or three nights per device to reduce the costs and increase their exposure to the Carpal Solution Treatment.

You can achieve this by saving the protective paper strips and putting the paper strips back on the adhesive straps in the morning when you take the stretching device off of your hand. This will help to protect the adhesive so that it will stick to your hand the next night. For the first two weeks it is recommended that you use a new tapping device each night to maximize the benefit during this critical two week period.

Continuing inflammation is one of the primary reason that contributes to the Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel. Controlling Inflammation through diet and treatment at the source is a key element to eliminating Persistent Symptoms of CTS along with continuing to use the Carpal Solution. The Carpal Solution increases blood circulation in your hand and helps to disperse inflammation.

2. First we attack inflammation and disperse it in the hand and wrist with Alternating Ice and Heat Therapy Daily

2A

After work Follow this icing protocol:

2 minutes in a warm water bath (not hot just warm, then 2 minutes in ice water bath), then 2 minutes in the warm water bath again. Continue this cycle of warm water for 2 minutes then ice water for 2 minutes for a total icing regimen of 25 to 30 minutes. The hand should be completely submerged in the ice bath up to 4 inches up the forearm. This icing protocol can be performed once or twice per day or even up to three times in one day. If you would like to do three times it would be best to do early Morning, Afternoon and late evening (before bed time).

It is helpful to have two different pitchers of water. One pitcher filled with warm water and the second pitcher filled with ice water.

2B

Before Bed do straight Icing for 20 minutes (no alternating with warm water). The muscles should feel numb when you finish these 20 minutes of straight icing. If you do not feel numbness it is not of much value. If you only have time for one icing session, it is best to do the 20 minutes of straight icing once a day. If you do not do the icing for at least 20 minutes it is of little value.

It helps to watch TV, listen to the radio or a video program or a podcast you enjoy to distract yourself during icing therapy. Icing helps calm down the injured tissue so your body can disperse the inflammation. This icing is recommended for 4 weeks or until your symptoms subside.

2C

First Hand Medical offers a proven Natural Topical Anti-inflammatory Compress Kit for the hand and wrist developed by doctors called the Botanical Pain Reliever Compress Kit. This is used at night during sleep or while watching TV and relaxing at the end of the day.

It is an external treatment for the hand that applies proven plant derived natural anti-inflammatory agents to the skin in a unique method using a kit developed by the doctors for people who would rather not expose themselves to the risks of oral anti-inflammatory medication.

Oral medication exposes the whole body and all of your organs to the medication rather than directing the treatment to the part of your body that needs help. It has been well documented in medical journals that oral anti-inflammatory medication can damage the human digestive system and vital organs like the kidneys and even the heart in some cases. Using a topical anti-inflammatory derived from plants is a better way to go, if you have concerns about using oral anti-inflammatory medication. We can send you more information of this proven natural anti-inflammatory treatment.

If you chose the Botanical Pain Reliever Option, you will alternate nights between the Carpal Solution Stretching Therapy one night and the Botanical Pain Reliever Compress Kit for next night. This will need to continue for the next 6 to 8 weeks. This Kit also helps people to cure Trigger Finger, Deupuytrens, Tendinitis, De Quervain’s Syndrome, etc. Applying concentrated natural anti-inflammatory agents on the hand for several hours over 8 weeks is powerful therapy for treating all soft tissue injuries of the hand and wrist.

3. Dietary Methods

3A

A Natural Method our Patients have found to help your body disperse trapped inflammation and prevent inflammation and its ill-effects throughout your body, including for your hand and Carpal Tunnel is taking an electrolyte pill three times per day.

Inflammation is an important underlying factor in many chronic diseases, so helping your body be in an optimum state to manage inflammation, is a great place to be for people suffering with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and those interested in preventing chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, etc.

You might ask why do I need to take electrolyte in a capsule. “I can get an electrolyte drink at any convenience store or gas station. Gatorade, Powerade, etc.” First, it is important to understand that the number 1 enemy in managing inflammation in our bodies is sugar. We get too much sugar from normal eating already. Sugar is very difficult to avoid in the modern diet. You certainly do not want to add to that sugar loading unnecessarily.

Gatorade comes with a boat load of sugar, 21 grams to make electrolyte taste good. Powerade is loaded with High Fructose Corn Syrup, the cheapest sugar and the worst sugar for your metabolism. Powerade Zero has no sugar, but does utilize a controversial artificial sweetener, Sucralose. You can purchase Pedialyte from almost any pharmacy, but most people don’t like the taste unless it is loaded up with sugar. So, this is why you take Electrolyte in a pill with a large glass of water. It does not taste bad and there are no side effects, you just get the benefits.

So, what are Electrolytes? Electrolytes are salt compounds that form electrically charged ions in body fluids. These ions carry electrical energy necessary for many functions of the body, including muscle contractions and transmission of nerve impulses. They also help the body clear itself of trapped inflammation. Electrolytes also negate the acidic nature of the modern diet and help your body to achieve a more alkaline state naturally. When your body trends toward a more acidic state it is more likely to generate excess inflammation. When the body is more alkaline then inflammation is less likely to form and get trapped in places like the Carpal Tunnel.

You can purchase Essential Electrolytes online at Amazon for 11 cents per capsule. In our modern diet we do not get enough electrolyte without sugar. Electrolytes are key to transporting inflammation and toxins, to the urinary track and then discharging them from the body.

3B

Take Ginger Root and Turmeric Root in a Capsule form twice per day with a meal or as a tea whichever you prefer. Ginger Root and Turmeric Root are powerful natural anti-inflammatory agents. When Turmeric is enhanced with a patented Black Pepper extract, called BioPerine, it substantially increases the bio-availability of the curcuminoid ingredients. Bio-availability refers to the ease with which your body can assimilate the active ingredients into the blood stream. It is always good to take these type of supplements with a meal to avoid digestive issues.

Minimizing the inflammation response in your body can be beneficial across the board affecting many areas of your personal health, not just controlling CTS. A wide array of health problems, including but not limited to chronic pain, obesity, ADD/ADHD, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, migraines, thyroid issues, dental issues, and cancer are all rooted in inflammation. Think of this approach to inflammation as an overall thrust for good health and putting CTS in remission.

3C

Reduce Sugar Consumption and Drink Bone Broth Collagen – Sugar causes inflammation so it is best to minimize sugar intake. Be vigilant, sugar is in everything. Obtain bone broth collagen from a health food shop or natural grocer in powder form. Make a cup each morning and drink it. Type 2 Collagen helps accelerate natural healing of the joints and cartilage which is important with CTS.

3D

Dark Leafy Greens and Dark Colored Berries are loaded with phytonutrients and are beneficial in many ways to your overall health including helping your body heal itself from Carpal Tunnel. These include: Blueberries, Black Berries, Acai Berries, Cherries, Huckleberries, Black Elderberry, Gooseberries, Muscadine, Mulberries, Chokeberries, Saskatoons, Kale, Spinach, Cabbage, Chard, Broccoli, Romaine Lettuce, etc.

3E

Oral 3D – Anti-inflammatory Medication – If you are comfortable with oral pain medication and the side effects, for no more than 10 days take Ibuprofen (brand names: Advil or Motrin) as directed on the label or at the dosage your physician prescribes. Many physicians prescribe the post-surgery dosage of Ibuprofen for Carpal Tunnel Symptoms, which is 800 milligrams – 3 times per day. This is the maximum dosage for Ibuprofen. Make sure you read the label and follow the instructions. Generally, it is recommended that you take these medications with a meal.

If you have any doubt, you should consult your physician before taking over-the-counter drug store medications. There are multiple risks associated with the long-term exposure to Oral Anti-Inflammatory medication, so this should not go on for more time than suggested on the label (usually 10 to 14 days). As an example: Pregnant women should not use ibuprofen at all unless directed to do so by a doctor. It would be a rare circumstance for a Doctor to direct a pregnant woman to use ibuprofen. As with all pain medications please read the label and follow the instructions carefully.

Doctors suggest that controlling inflammation in your body naturally through diet and the suggestions above are a much better way to go for a chronic condition like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome than using oral anti-inflammation medication like ibuprofen.

Narcotic pain medication is extremely habit forming and not a good choice for dealing with a chronic syndrome like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Narcotics only mask the pain and should be avoided for a chronic condition unless your Doctor insists you use them.

Unless you are doing the other things suggested here, including wearing the Carpal Solution devices, taking any oral medication will have limited benefit because the medication has trouble reaching the injured tissue. It is rare to find people get much relief from oral pain medication of any kind alone when trying to relieve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms. Do not expect that oral pain medication alone will have much impact on CTS.

4. Stretching and Exercises

4A

Gentle Active Stretching of your hands for 5 minutes three times a day will also help accelerate the recovery process for people with persistent symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. These can be done quickly and easily almost anywhere you might be. Whenever you can, before stretching, it is recommended to warm up your hands and forearms in a warm water bath or run warm water over your hands and forearm before or during stretching.

Some people do their stretching in the shower and crank up the temperature while running the warmest water they can tolerate over their hands, fingers, and forearms.

Active Stretching for the hand consists of bending each of the fingers backward individually until you feel a comfortable stretch and then holding it for 15- 20 seconds and releasing it. Then relaxing the hand for 5 to 10 seconds. This is repeated 5 – 10 times for each finger in a 2 to 3 minute interval, the same can be done with the thumb.

It is also helpful to stretch the fingers and wrist all at the same time in both directions as shown in the photograph to the right. Following the same pattern and timing as mentioned above.

Emphasis is on making the stretch comfortably. If you feel pain, you should back off and do the stretches less intensely. Stretching helps to align the injured fibers in the same direction as your muscle fibers as your body repairs the injured tissue. It helps to restore flexibility to the tendons that run from the tips of the fingers through the Carpal Tunnel to the muscles in the forearm. Stretching the fingers individually will help speed recovery from CTS.

Stretching is always a little uncomfortable, but you do not want to experience pain. If you experience pain, then back off on the intensity of the stretching in the first week or two. As you regain flexibility you can increase the intensity of the stretches in a slow progression giving your body time to recover and adjust to the new demands on flexibility.

Many people forget to breathe regularly when they are concentrating on stretching. It is extremely important to breath while you stretch. Deep diaphragm breathing is the best way to breathe while stretching. It takes some instruction and practice to do deep diaphragm breathing properly. You can learn more about deep diaphragm breathing on YouTube from several sources.

When you breathe properly through the diaphragm in your lower abdomen most people increase their blood oxygen level by up to 2 – 4 percentage points. The higher level of oxygen helps your body’s natural healing process while you are stretching or during any activity. Check out how top Olympic Athletes breathe just before their event. Lindsey Vonn employed this type of breathing before her downhill skiing competition.

4B

Palm and Forearm Deep Tissue Self-Massage can be a powerful tool in accelerating recovery.

Using a hard 1 inch diameter or 1.5 inch diameter “bouncy ball” roll out the palm of your hand and forearm muscle on a hard surface for no more than 2 – 3 minutes each per day. The palm area underneath the thumb is a particular trouble spot where inflammation will accumulate. Begin with gentle pressure the first couple of days then increase the force gradually that you use to roll out your muscles in your palm and forearm.

This massage action will accelerate your recovery from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by breaking up tissue that is injured and adhering to itself preventing healing. Please be aware this massage will likely increase the discomfort due to lymphatic swelling for a few days.

Following this deep tissue massage and stretching it is important to drink a lot of water and take an electrolyte capsule. Or drink electrolyte straight in liquid form. Many electrolyte options in sports drinks are loaded with sugar. It is best to stay away from sugar as much as possible, as sugar tends to promote inflammation. The water alone in large quantities or combined with electrolyte (even better) will help your body to quickly disperse and eliminate the toxins that are trapped in the soft tissue and released with the deep tissue massage therapy.

After deep tissue massage it is also highly recommended to apply straight icing for 20 minutes to 30 minutes within an hour after the self-massage with a “bouncy balls”. This will help calm injured tissue, disperse lymphatic fluid and accelerate recovery. Also, applying the Botanical Pain Reliever Kit will help disperse the swelling and minimize the discomfort. If you do not ice for less than 20 minutes, there is little value in icing for less time.

Warning: This massage will likely increase discomfort for a few days, but it will be more like muscle soreness from working-out rather than the dull achiness of CTS. It can also cause CTS to get worse for a few days before it improves because of the increase in lymphatic swelling puts more pressure on the Median Nerve. Wearing the Carpal Solution for up to 16 hours per day will also help to accelerate through this transition and disperse the additional swelling.

We offer a Deep Tissue Massage Kit for $7.95 plus shipping as a convenience. It contains 6 bouncy balls of varying sizes and different hardness. A deep tissue massage from a sports massage expert costs about $75 per session. You can save significantly while still receiving the full benefits.

Also, managing inflammation is a key to quickly over-coming CTS. Employ the steps recommended above for managing inflammation including: Icing, Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, The Botanical Pain Reliever or as a last resort Ibuprofen.

4C

Also, a second stretch is holding a brief case loaded with papers or books, with your arm straight down with just the fingers gripping the brief case and the thumb stretching out perpendicular to the body as far as you can stretch it comfortably. Holding this position for 10 seconds and then setting down the brief case – then repeating this 10 to 15 times.

4D

Exercise doing a reverse flex of the fingers and thumb with a #32 elastic band around your finger tips and thumb nail. It is an action that is “opposite of a squeeze” and is one of the best gentle stretching exercises for Carpal Tunnel prevention. Your hand should go from a “rosebud poise”, to a “claw poise” with the elastic band providing resistance. You do this 10 to 15 times then rest and repeat 3 sets of this exercise. This will build up the Extensor Muscles and help you achieve better muscle balance in the forearm. This can help Musicians overcome Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

4E – The Half Locust Yoga Pose

WARNING: Do not practice these yoga poses if you are pregnant or have chronic back issues.

Bring your arms underneath your body with your elbows as close together as possible. The hands must be resting flat with the palms facing down, With the Palms facing down, it will give you the most strength and flexibility in the muscles and tendons of the hand, fingers, and forearms.

• Bring your legs together on the mat.
• Rest your chin on the mat in front of you.
• Inhale and lift your right leg as high as you comfortably can. Be sure to keep your hips parallel to each other and do not push into the floor with the left leg. Keep the palms flat on the matt under your body.
• You should feel that the muscles along the right side of the back are doing the work.
• Hold this position for 5-30 seconds as you continue to breathe.
• Exhale and release the right leg down to the mat.
• Relax the muscles of the right side of the body for several breaths.
• Next, inhale and lift the left leg as high as you can. Keep your hips parallel to each other, not pushing into the floor with the right leg.
• You should feel that the muscles along the left side of the back are working very hard.
• Hold this position for 5-30 seconds while you continue to breathe.
• Exhale and release the leg down to the mat.
• Relax the muscles of the left side of the body and take several breaths.
• You can also hold both legs up and extended to take this pose to the next level.

These Yoga Half Locust Poses will help restore flexibility to the tendons that run through the Carpal Tunnel.

Many people get enthusiastic about yoga and exercising their hands, wrist and forearms and seem to find something that helps and want to take it to the extreme. However, with a lot of these stretches “Less is more”. Fight the urge to go to the extremes. Just do what is proven to work.

We have talked about a lot you should do. There are some things you should not do. There are many exercises people recommend that might seem on the surface to be a good thing, but they are not good for your hands and wrists if you are recovering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

A Good example of this is the Full Locust Pose.

Do not do the full locust pose if you have CTS – This is a case where “Less is More”

It is good to follow stretching or massage with the 20 minutes straight icing whenever possible.

We are your Partner to help you heal Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Naturally and Avoid Surgery.

Once Carpal Tunnel Syndrome goes into remission it will stay in remission for most people for years.

Your Body’s natural healing process keeps you healthy and free from CTS Symptoms.

4F

Any yoga stretches and poses where you put a lot of weight on your hands with the wrist at a right angle will aggravate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Do not do any yoga exercises like this if you have Carpal Tunnel or are trying to recover from CTS.

4G – Commonly Recommended Hand Exercises You Should Not Do If You Have CTS

Avoid exercises of the hand like the so called “stress ball” squeeze that work the Flexor Muscles in the forearm. Ironically, this is recommended as a good hand exercise by many, but this is probably the worst thing you can do for your hands if you have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Also, stay away from the hand grippers. These work the forearm muscles for grabbing things, which already get plenty of work in most people’s daily routine of grabbing objects and holding the object. With Carpal Tunnel there is ofen an imbalance between the forearm muscles. The Flexor Muscles are usually too strong and the Extensor Muscles in the forearm are too weak.