Many people suffer from wrist and hand pain. Often this is due because of repetitive use from our jobs and/or hobbies. Since so many of us use our hands and wrists during our work day having wrist and hand pain can be very difficult to deal with. When wrist pain sufferers go to the doctor they usually end up with a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel of the wrist. However, for many who are diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome the problem is not in the wrist but is in the forearm. Specifically, through repetitive use, people will develop trigger points in the muscles. These trigger points cause pain that can often mimic carpal tunnel syndrome which is why they often get misdiagnosed.
The first course of treatment for these conditions is usually painkillers and cortisone shots. These may temporarily relieve the pain but do not address the underlying cause. Bracing can help true carpal tunnel syndrome but does not help with trigger points. So the next step for these patients is often carpal tunnel surgery. Obviously if the problem is in the forearm then operating on the wrist doesn’t make sense but it happens with surprising frequency.
Luckily acupuncture offers a great alternative to surgery. When the problem is caused by trigger points acupuncture is the best choice of treatment. Not only does acupuncture give immediate pain relief but it also addresses the root cause so that there can be long-lasting relief. And since it is much safer (and less expensive) it is a great option. After all, if acupuncture doesn’t help you can always try surgery after, but you can’t undo a surgery that did not help. In some cases a structural problem exists that does require surgery. In those cases acupuncture can still help with post-operative pain, improve recovery, and help deal with trigger points that might develop post-op in scar tissue and surrounding tissue.
If you are dealing with wrist pain consider trying acupuncture as a first step, not as a last resort.
For more information about acupuncture and wrist pain read this article – http://acutakehealth.com/everyone-and-no-one-has-carpal-tunnel
