You can do something about the tingling and numbness in your hand. There are treatments available to bring your hand back to normal. When you are diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, you should start your treatment right away to prevent the condition from worsening. Such condition involves the compression of the nerves in the tunnel surrounded by the carpals and the transcarpal. These nerves are responsible for the feeling and sense of touch of the fingers and hand. When pressure is exerted on these nerves, they become numb and if left untreated could result in the breakdown of the hand or finger muscles.

Initially, upon diagnosis, the doctor could recommend a period of rest to ease the sypmtoms on the affected hand. This could involve putting the wrist in a splint to prevent it from being flexed, twisted, or bent. Cold compress can be applied on the wrist if there is an inflammation. Medication, surgery, or any other alternative therapies could start after a period of about two weeks. Regular visits to the doctor would be advisable during this time. Some patients who have this condition have turned to alternative therapies for cures using acupuncture and chiropractic care. There is, however, no proof yet as to the effectiveness of such therapies. Only the practice of yoga has been proven to alleviate the pain that comes with the nerve compression and to improve grip strength.

The treatments that could be advised for the cure of carpal tunnel syndrome would include the following:

1.         Medication – there are various medications that could be prescribed. These mostly address the pain and swelling that comes with the condition. NSAIDs or non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen are often recommended for symptoms that are not long-standing or are merely caused by a recent strenuous activity. Those who have been experiencing symptoms for some time could be given corticosteriods. This could be administered either through injection or orally. Corticosteroids have an effect on the body’s ability to regulate insulin. Those who are diabetic or are predisposed to diabetes should only use corticosteroids with the supervision of their doctor.

2.        Surgery – Symptoms that persist for over 6 months usually necessitate surgical procedures. A carpal tunnel release could be done by cutting off the band of tissue around the wrist to make more room for the median nerve. This kind of surgery is done on an outpatient basis. The same is done with an open release surgery where the carpal ligament is cut to make the tunnel larger. An endoscopic surgery is another kind of surgical procedure that could be done to cure the syndrome. Two incisions are done on the palm and on the wrist for this surgical procedure to cut the carpal ligament. Recovery for this surgical procedure is faster and more convenient. Full recovery could be experienced within months of surgery. During recovery, care should be taken to avoid infection and nerve damage. Physical therapy is often necessary after recovery to bring back the strength of the wrist and to enable it to perform normal tasks again.