How to Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With Home Remedies
Carpal tunnel syndrome is an inflammation of the tendons in the wrists caused by frequent repetitive motions. It can be intensely painful and can even prevent you from doing your job--thousands of people each year go on disability from work due to carpal tunnel syndrome. This is unfortunate, because it is easily prevented with some commonsense steps to make the work environment more ergonomic. However, once carpal tunnel syndrome occurs, there are ways to treat it effectively with home remedies.
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Instructions
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Place an ice pack on your wrist whenever it hurts. Wrap the ice pack in a thick towel first to prevent damage to your skin. The ice will help reduce the inflammation in your tendons while soothing the pain.
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Sleep with your wrist flat on the mattress beside you. Sleeping with your wrist under your pillow or body can compress the nerve, leading to further inflammation and pain.
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Get an ergonomic aid for your computer. Wrist rests help keep your wrists in a natural, straight position while you type at the keyboard, which reduces strain on the tendons. Be sure to get a rest that is firm enough to offer good support, while being soft enough to be comfortable.
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Give your wrists a rest every half hour. Even if you only take a break for 5 or 10 minutes, giving your wrists a break will help give tendons a chance to relax, which eases the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
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Put a splint on your wrist. You can make a splint by putting two small, rectangular boards on either side of your wrist (one on top, one on bottom). Bind the boards with sturdy gauze or tape. Make sure your wrist isn't able to bend at all in the splint, otherwise the splint won't be effective. However, don't make it so tight that you cut off the circulation in your wrist.
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Tips & Warnings
Sometimes, carpal tunnel syndrome is simply too severe for home remedies to effectively treat it. If you've tried to treat carpal tunnel syndrome with home remedies and they have not worked as well as you'd hoped, it is time to visit a doctor. Some severe cases of carpal tunnel syndrome require surgery to treat, and you may need to discuss this possibility with your physician.
