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Author: Dr. Lee Se-rin, Tong-In Clinic
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Editor : Sia
Hello! I'm Dr. Lee Se-rin, doctor of Tongin Korean Medicine Clinic.
Today, I'd like to discuss 손목터널증후군(Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, CTS)!
If you feel a tingling sensation in your fingers one day, you might want to suspect Carpal Tunnel Syndrome! 😢
If you resonate with many of the symptoms mentioned, consider the possibility of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. 😢
Why does Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occur?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is when the median nerve, which runs from the wrist to the fingers, becomes compressed by surrounding muscles and ligaments.
The transverse carpal ligament acts like a fence around this nerve. People using their wrists frequently are likelier to develop a thickened transverse carpal ligament.
When this thickened ligament presses on the median nerve, it can cause various unusual sensations in the fingers, such as tingling or prickling. It's similar to how our legs can feel numb when we sit in one position for too long, compressing the nerves.
Other factors can contribute to this condition. Overusing your arms can cause the muscles around the nerve to swell. Additionally, pregnancy or other hormonal conditions can increase the volume of the carpal tunnel, putting pressure on the nerve.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Tingling Symptoms
What happens if we neglect Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? If the nerve remains compressed, the nerve fibers become damaged.
While symptoms might start with unusual sensations, as nerve fibers deteriorate, surrounding muscles can atrophy. Simple tasks like grasping objects or buttoning clothes become difficult when muscle atrophy occurs.
Therefore, if you suspect Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, it's best to seek treatment promptly before it worsens.
Korean medicine treatments for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Korean medicine treatments for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and acupotomy.
The blue points in the image above show where we target to release structures compressing the nerve. During acupuncture, we may focus on the transverse carpal ligament or the wrist flexor muscles.
We can also inject pharmacopuncture from distilled and sterilized herbal medicines to reduce inflammation and help relax ligaments and muscles.
If these treatments don't help long-standing cases, we might use acupotomy to incise severely hardened tissue partially. 🔪
Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Daily Stretching!
But these treatments can be painful, right?🥹 Let's prevent it before it starts!
You can prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with simple stretches.
While working, occasionally tilt your wrist until you feel a superb stretch in your forearm. Hold this for at least 8 seconds.
Eight seconds is the minimum time needed for our brain to recognize that we're relaxing a muscle, so take your time with the stretch!
You can also massage around the muscles and points in the image above. Consistently massaging helps relax muscles and ligaments, reducing nerve compression.
For those who use computers a lot, using a vertical mouse that doesn't compress the nerve is also a good idea.
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Thank you for reading! 😘 See you next time with another interesting topic!
This was Dr. Lee Se-rin from Tongin Korean Medicine Clinic!
