Every reflexologist needs to know about carpal tunnel. It’s important because you’ll have customers complaining about it. Equally important: You want to avoid contracting it yourself. And, if you already have it, you should be especially careful.
You have heard me time and time again: I say that reflexologists do not treat, do not prescribe and do not diagnose. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t know what’s going on.
Clients often expect reflexology to be a magic bullet for their health problems. I can’t say that it will be, and I can’t help but smile too.
Why?
Because most people will experience a reduction in pain and/or symptoms with manual reflexology. That is true for local problems at hand, even if they are not the intended destination.
This is important, let me explain.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is pain or weakness in the forearm and hand caused by pressure on a nerve in the wrist. It is a medical condition in which the median nerve is compressed at the wrist, resulting in paresthesias, numbness, and muscle weakness in the hand.
The median nerve controls sensations from the palm side of the thumb and fingers (but not the little finger), as well as impulses from some of the small muscles of the hand that allow movement of the fingers and thumb.
The carpal tunnel, a narrow and rigid passageway of ligaments and bones at the base of the hand, houses the median nerve and tendons.
Sometimes thickening from irritated tendons or other inflammation narrows the tunnel and causes the median nerve to become compressed.
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome:
Symptoms most often occur in the parts of the hand innervated by the median nerve: the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half of the ring finger.
If your little finger is not affected, this may be a sign that the condition is carpal tunnel syndrome, because the little finger is usually controlled by a different nerve (the ulnar nerve) than the thumb and other fingers.
Symptoms usually begin gradually, with frequent burning, tingling, or itchy numbness in the palm and fingers (especially the thumb and index and middle fingers).
Carpal tunnel syndrome is often the result of a combination of factors that increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel, rather than a problem with the nerve itself.
Some other symptoms are:
o Tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain felt in the fingers or, less often, in the palm
o Pain in the forearm, wrist, or palm of the hand
o More numbness or pain at night than during the day. bread can be so bad
wakes you up. You can shake or rub your hand for relief.
o More pain when you use your hand or wrist more
o Trouble grasping objects
o thumb weakness
Fact: Women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome, perhaps because the carpal tunnel itself may be smaller in women than in men.
Reasons:
Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome may be due to work conditions or underlying medical problems.
Other causes that could lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are:
Pregnancy
o Rheumatoid arthritis and other causes of wrist inflammation
o Endocrine disorders such as diabetes and hypothyroidism
or wrist fracture
or alcoholism
Risk associated with carpal tunnel syndrome:
The following are risk factors associated with the development of carpal tunnel syndrome:
or Repetition
or high strength
o Uncomfortable joint posture
or direct pressure
or Vibration, and
o Prolonged restricted posture
or poor ergonomics
Diagnosis:
If you or your client has some or all of these symptoms, unless you are a medical professional, you cannot diagnose it.
In fact, when a client tells me they have carpal tunnel syndrome, I always ask who made the diagnosis. It doesn’t matter if he was a doctor or a specialist, or your Aunt Betty or someone from the local gym.
There are some simple tests that can be done to check general wrist function (you’ll learn about them in the Manual Reflexology Workshop and More). This will help emphasize the importance of your client seeking appropriate medical help.
Of course, early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent permanent damage to the median nerve.
A physical examination of the hands, arms, shoulders, and neck can help determine if the patient’s complaints are related to an underlying disorder or to daily activities.
The wrist is examined for tenderness, swelling, warmth, and discoloration.
Each finger should be tested for sensation, and the muscles at the base of the hand should be examined for strength and signs of atrophy.
Laboratory tests and routine X-rays may reveal diabetes, arthritis, and fractures.
Treatment:
Treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome vary and should be started as soon as possible, under the direction of a doctor.
Underlying causes, such as diabetes or arthritis, should be treated first.
If there is inflammation, applying cold compresses can help reduce swelling.
Non-surgical treatments:
There are a couple of homeopathic creams that can relieve symptoms:
Brands such as Traumeel (an ointment based on calendula and arnica) and Topricin (with 11 homeopathic ingredients) have proven efficacy and are available in many health food stores.
Under special circumstances, various medications can relieve the pain and swelling associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. NSAIDs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other over-the-counter pain relievers, can relieve symptoms that have been present for a short time or have been caused by strenuous activity.
Alternative supportive therapies: Manual reflexology, acupuncture, and chiropractic care have benefited some patients.
Exercise: Stretching and strengthening exercises may be helpful in people whose symptoms have subsided.
Doctors sometimes suggest that one wear a wrist splint (can be purchased at most drug stores) to keep the wrist in a neutral position at rest. Splinting is usually attempted over a period of 4 to 6 weeks.
What can reflexology do?
As a reflexologist, why should I care about carpal tunnel syndrome if it’s not my job to fix it?
Remember, if you or someone you know thinks you have this problem, it is very important that you get proper medical attention.
And, I repeat myself here too: with any illness, stress is always a factor. Rest is important, and the stress relief provided by manual reflexology is a wonderful component to any health maintenance regimen.
If the carpal tunnel is acute (meaning it’s painful or active now), you won’t want to work on the area directly.
There are many things to know and many more to think about. Be very careful with any pinched nerves.
I’ve learned this from my own experience: nerves don’t like to be irritated, because it makes them, well, more irritable. Not good.
If you are trained in manual reflexology, you know that there are some very specific strategies to assist the body in its own healing process.
And what about reflections?
Good point. There are specific reflexes in the area and as a good reflexologist you should also focus on the systems of the body.
Be curious about these reflex areas: does the client also have sciatica? Do they have any reproductive or digestive problems?
Inherent in manual reflexology techniques (can’t say what others teach, usually not that much), there are techniques that will allow you to safely work on relaxing your hand.
What if you don’t have this specific training? – I suggest you work the good hand and the opposite foot – or the ears.
The benefits of reflexology can be incredible.
And it has never been more apparent than in the UK, where a 2004 British media article reports that; “According to a survey conducted on behalf of the Yellow Pages…the number of street greengrocers has dropped nearly 60 percent in 10 years, while the number of reflexologists has increased more than 800 percent.”
I stay with my case.
