Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the median nerve becomes compressed under the carpal ligament in the wrist. The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb, as well as the first three fingers. Nerve impulses to the muscles of the hand also travel through this nerve. These impulses are responsible for the movement of the thumb and fingers. When the median nerve is compressed, pain and loss of grip strength and sensation, as well as tingling in the fingers occurs.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be debilitating. The wrist joints are used in just about every activity; when pain and stiffness become an issue, it can put a hold on everything, especially when that pain is long term. Whether you are an athlete, musician or chef. It can mean the end of a career.

One of the treatments for CTS, is wearing a hand splint at night, to keep the hand from moving during sleep, to reduce the chance of aggravating the injury. Hand splints can be very uncomfortable; they completely immobilize the hand and wrist so they stay perfectly still, but the discomfort of not being able to move is difficult to adjust to, especially when someone is trying to relax and go to sleep. Worst yet, is when the doctor wants you to wear it throughout the day as well, for more severe cases of CTS.

A few years back after a bad injury, and continued use and constant pressure being put on the joint, I was diagnosed with having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The pain was so bad it went off the scale. My grip had severely weakened, and I always had a sharp and burning pain, as well as a feeling of my wrist being hit by a hammer repeatedly. Occasional numbness and tingling would occur whenever I tried to grab something heavy. The pain would even flair-up at random when I wasn’t doing anything. I was forced to stop any kind of training. No more weight lifting, rock climbing, or martial arts; it was very depressing. After close to about a year, I found a pair of Chinese relaxation balls that had been given to me as a gift, and I started using them everyday. After several weeks of using them, the pain in my wrist started to diminish a little bit, and my grip became a little stronger.

A few weeks after that, I bought a wrist support (much more comfortable than the hand splint) and went back to the gym to do very light lifting. I did that for several months, and although there was some pain, I continued training, as well as thorough stretching of the wrist and tendons, and using the relaxations balls. My wrist, grip and forearms, were slowly getting stronger and stronger.

Then one day, I was in a hurry to get to my gym to get in some training, at the end of the work out, I was finishing up my cool down and realized, I had forgotten to wear my wrist support. But more importantly, I realized I went through an entire heavy workout without any kind of pain. No burning, no tingling or loss of grip strength. Ever since then, I have had full use of my hand and wrist without any problems, and have been lifting just as heavy as I had before the injury. The relaxation balls had not only strengthened my wrist, but also loosened the stranglehold on the median nerve.

Proper stretching exercises for the hands and wrist along with use of the relaxation balls, can make a big difference relieving the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I have had a few other people with mild cases of it, give a similar routine a try, and they had great results.

The relaxation balls are also useful for stress, as well as strengthening the forearms and circulating chi through the circular motion they are moved in. Their low cost and effortless use, make them a simple way of achieving health.

Disclaimer: Information displayed here is for educational purposes and not meant to substitute for the direction of a qualified physician.

THE SURGICAL EMT