Carpal Tunnel Relief Through Massage!

For those of us suffering from Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome, relief may be more simple than the
pain suggests!

Here's the article:

Massage for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
by Tiffany Field, Ph.D.
Miguel Diego; Christy Cullen; Kristin Hartshorn;
Alan Gruskin; Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D.; and
William Sunshine


Massage therapy eases the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome
and increases grip strength, according to a recent study.

"Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are lessened following
massage therapy" was conducted by staff at the Touch
Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of
Medicine in Miami, Florida.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include pain, tingling,
burning and numbness of the hand. Sixteen people diagnosed
with this syndrome participated in the study. All of them
held jobs involving heavy word processing or computer work.

Subjects were randomly assigned to either the standard-
treatment control group or the massage-therapy group.
Those in the massage group received one massage per week on
the affected arm for four weeks.

They were also instructed in self-massage, which they were
to perform each night before bed.

The massage routine consisted of stroking of moderate
pressure from the fingertips to the elbow. A massage and
pain log was kept by subjects in the massage group. In the
log, participants recorded the times at which they began and
ended self-massage, as well as their levels of pain on a
scale from zero to 10.

Subjects in the control group received no intervention, but
were taught the massage routine after the study ended.

Physicians evaluated participants' carpal tunnel symptoms,
such as tingling, numbness, pain and strength, at the
beginning and end of the four-week study. The Tinel sign,
which tests to see if light tapping of the affected area
elicits pain or tingling, was also used at the start and
finish of the study.

Physicians used the Phalen Test at the beginning and end of
the study as well. The Phalen Test involves flexing of the
wrists to see if numbness or tingling occurs.

A nerve conduction test was also performed at the start and
finish of the study. This involved stimulation of the median
sensory nerves through electrodes placed on each subject's
index finger and wrist. Peak sensory latencies were recorded
to test for nerve compression at the carpal tunnel. Median
peak latency was the primary outcome measure.

Assessments were also made before and after the massage
sessions on the first and last days of the study, including
the Perceived Grip Strength Scale; VITAS, a pain assessment
using a visual analogue scale; the state anxiety inventory;
and the Profile of Mood States.

Results of the study showed that the subjects in the massage
group had significantly less pain and reduced carpal tunnel
symptoms, as well as shorter median peak latencies and
increased grip strength.

"Functional activity also improved as noted in reduced pain
and increased grip strength in the massage therapy group,
both immediately after the first and last massage therapy
sessions and by the end of the study," state the
study's authors.

"Finally, the massage therapy group reported lower anxiety
and depressed mood levels both immediately after the first
and last sessions and by the end of the study."

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About the Author
*Source: Touch Research Institutes at the University of
Miami School of Medicine in Miami, Florida. Originally
published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement
Therapies, 2004, Vol. 8, pp. 9-14.