Thursday, July 30, 2009

Yoga Helpful in Carpal Tunnel syndrome Treatment

By Tom Nicholson

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome often abbreviated as the acronym CTS, is an illness that manifests itself in parasthesia, numbness, and weakness in the hand or hands. Parasthesia is numbness or prickling feelings, colloquially known as "pins and needles". The primary cause is the compression of the median nerve at the wrist. The condition can be treated with carpal tunnel exercises using yoga.

While many people believe carpal tunnel means you have problems in your arms, it's actually the wrist that contains the problem. When the area swells and builds up fluids, the median nerve becomes compressed. How exactly CTS is caused remains a mystery, but most of it is from genetics. Then of course you can find information on environmental factors being the culprit as well.

CTS is often a misdiagnosis for Repetitive Strain Injury, or RSI. In RSI, prolonged periods of repetitive use of the hands can cause pain, numbness, and weakness. This is a common complaint among those who spend a lot of time typing on a keyboard of some description. Though there is little medical evidence to prove its existence, RSI has become recognized as one of the risks of modern living.

There is no established medical connection between RSI and CTS, though many believe they are related. Overuse of the hands causes excess fluids to build in the carpal tunnel, and the flexor tendons for the fingers can also swell. Either of these two events can lead to compression of the median nerve, causing CTS.

CTS can be prevented, or at least the risk can be reduced. The most pro-active ways involve changes to the work environment and work behavior to prevent CTS. Taking carpal tunnel exercises using yoga and frequent breaks when using programs that require repetitive use of the keyboard or mouse is recommended. There are free software programs that remind the user to take breaks, to facilitate this practice. Mild stretching and bending during these breaks are encouraged. Often, ergonomic changes to improve wrist position, such as lowering the keyboard to achieve a 90-degree angle at the elbow, are the most effective. Keeping the hands warm also helps, and reducing the force with which one uses the computer peripherals are great steps toward preventing CTS.

When you look over all the information related to carpal tunnel, there are several treatments available. Choosing the right one for you shouldn't be too difficult, but we'll go over them anyways. First, you can go ahead and have surgery, but the constant visits to the doctor and going through rehab can be mentally and financially draining. Then of course you can get a couple quick shots of steroids in, but this is only a short-term solution. Then of course the little things like modifications at work and taking frequent breaks are all ways to help your carpal tunnel.

Yoga is a system of exercises developed in India centuries, even millennia ago. These are stretching exercises that involve all parts of the body. They build flexibility and muscle strength, improve circulation, reduce and stress. The wrist is involved constantly, and symptoms of CTS are relieved. Carpal tunnel exercises using yoga may not only be the best way to cure CTS, it also improves your health in general.

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