3 ways to treat carpal tunnel syndrome at home

Many of the treatment options for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) involve things you can easily do on your own. Here are three ways to help deal with the pain and discomfort of your CTS.

• Your doctor will immediately tell you to rest your affected hand and wrist for at least two weeks so the inflammation can subside. This also means temporarily staying away from any activity — whether it’s cooking or caulking — that forces you to bend your wrist all the way up or down or that puts pressure on the median nerve
• At the same time, you can work on reducing the pain. To do this, apply cold compresses to the painful area for 15 minutes at a time, several times a day. Doing so will also help bring down swelling
• And while any form of exercise may seem too painful to think about, studies have shown that doing yoga can be beneficial for CTS. Not only do yoga postures stretch and strengthen the muscles of your upper body, they also promote the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers
• It’s also important to do some stretching and strengthening exercises daily to relieve pain and prevent recurrence

Equally important is to take a good look at your activities and change any bad habits.

• Take breaks from repetitive tasks. If you're practicing the piano, for instance, do so for just 15 minutes, then take a five-minute break
• Practice good posture, and adapt it to the job you're performing. If you sit at a desk, for example, make sure your shoulders are not slumped forward (this puts pressure on nerves in your back and arms)
• Modify your workspace. If possible, choose ergonomically sound devices, such as a chair with a supportive backrest, an adjustable keyboard table and a wrist rest (found at most office supply stores)

Once you've dealt with the pain, you should also consider some larger lifestyle issues in order to keep CTS from recurring.

• Losing weight, if necessary, is one of them. Obesity has been frequently linked to carpal tunnel syndrome, in part because extra tissue appears to put undue pressure on nerves in the hand and wrist; moreover, obese people are predisposed to diabetes, which can be an underlying cause of CTS
• And if you smoke, stop. Smoking can aggravate CTS because it restricts blood flow to the small vessels of the hand

Developing a treatment plan with your doctor is the best way to address your carpal tunnel syndrome, but incorporating these three suggestions can go a long way to helping you find some relief.