You say tOmato, I say tomAto. But aren’t they the same? No! Let me state right off that there is a difference between carpal tunnel injury and carpal tunnel syndrome. That diagnosis is for a physician. Both have pain in the wrist as the most demanding symptom. But Carpal tunnel syndrome is referred pain and carpal tunnel injury is not. But you would never know the difference, hopefully your physician does.
Carpal tunnel syndrome or CTS is part of a domino effect involving the rotator cuff muscles. But in truth it involves the muscles from the backbone to the shoulder to the chest bone It also involves muscles from the hips to the head and is not limited to the injury side. It is about trigger point pain referral and not about the carpal (small bones of the hand) pathway or tunnel.
Helping this condition involves the range of motion and the dynamic tension that holds the shoulder in place. Helping CTS is like washing your hair, wet, lather, rinse, and repeat. Its not as simple as releasing one muscle. You balance the tension between 8 different muscles and then start all over. Range of motion increases gradually and then and only then can you deactivate the trigger point that caused the problem in the first place. Breath work is also important in this bodywork since the muscles involved respond to the movement (or lack thereof) of the ribs.
Soft tissue bodywork has been shown to be very effective at relieving carpal tunnel syndrome. Since the problem is actually coming from your shoulder, surgery on the “carpal tunnel” generally doesn’t help. But bodywork after surgery still can.
So, drink a tall glass of water, take a DEEP breath, and get a massage. It may mean the difference between 3 months off work and a regular massage.
I thought this was a very interesting article and very informative. I learned something about my injury. Too bad it wasn’t shared by my doctor.