Could Remedial Massage Be the Answer to Your Carpal Tunnel Woes?
The carpal tunnel is formed by collection of bones in the wrist, combined with a piece of tissue that connects to tendons in the fingers. Normally, it does its job without problems, but when the median nerve becomes compressed, it leads to a condition called carpal tunnel syndrome.
CTS is an uncomfortable problem to have, with symptoms ranging from aches and pains to numbness and pins and needles. In some cases, CTS eventually goes away on its own, although it's unpleasant in the meantime. Various treatments can speed up recovery and help relieve the symptoms, and one of the most effective is remedial massage. Here's what you need to know about this particular option.
What is remedial massage?
Remedial massage differs from other types of massage in that it's specifically intended to treat injuries and medical conditions. Where most people seek massage therapy for relaxation and relief for tired muscles, those who go for remedial massage do so because they're experiencing a specific and often painful problem.
It works by targeting the affected area with a planned set of massage sessions, aiming to stimulate the muscles into healing and improving the symptoms experienced.
How does it help carpal tunnel syndrome?
With remedial massage sessions, a therapist can stimulate the muscles of the wrist into healing, reducing inflammation. Since this is often a cause of the pressure on the median nerve, it can bring significant relief to sufferers of carpal tunnel syndrome and may vastly speed up the eventual healing of the condition. One of the useful parts of getting remedial massage is that the therapist may be able to spot muscles affecting the condition that are not obviously connected to the wrist. By stimulating these muscles as well, better results can be achieved.
On top of the massage itself, a remedial massage therapist can show you various stretching exercises you can do in your own time. Completing these exercises in conjunction with the massage sessions is a highly effective way to deal with the symptoms of CTS, helping you complete normal activities without pain and discomfort.
What's the timescale for seeing results?
Some people report an improvement in their condition after just one session, and although this is unlikely to be the end of CTS, it will improve the symptoms. To see permanent, long-term results, you might need to wait somewhere between a few weeks to three months. If you make time to do the stretching exercises at home, it can significantly speed things up.