Icing is an important technique to help minimize pain and reducing swelling from an Wrist Pain – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Again it is a pain-reliever not a treatment or ergonomic technique.

I liked to put ice cubes in a pitcher of cold water and dunk my hand, wrist, and upper arm into the cold ice water.  This gets the entire area iced thoroughly. My hands needed to feel almost numb before they were removed from the ice water. As some put it, when you are numb, you are done. I found that I need to ice longer than I did previously.

Hot and Cold transition baths are also a good way to increase circulation due to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome problems.

This site has some good times on how to make icing work well for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome sufferers.

You can read more about icing and how long to ice from this guide to Repetitive Strain Injury. Wrist Pain – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome takes time to heal, so lay off the computer.

Do you notice that you wake up in the middle of the night more? That is a symptom of an RSI or repetitive strain injury. I was literally sleeping on top of a pillow with my hand right underneath, causing my injury to flare at night.

The Futuro Reversible Splint Wrist Brace is a low cost ergonomic splint that can help you at night.

I used one for a while until I got a custom designed splint from my hand therapy center.

I have found that most of my healing and insight was gained while under care of hand therapists. Doctors just examined my hands and gave a diagnosis and a prescription for hand therapy.

California Pacific’s Hand Therapy in the San Francisco Area has helped me heal, and I can recommend them 100%. They will help you understand your condition and provide a path to healing. They helped with exercises, therapy, ergonomics, splints, and work tips.

Do not delay contacting a hand therapist, the sooner you do it, the faster you will heal.

Welcome to No Carpal Tunnel Blog.

We have felt the pain and are here to share our roadmap to recovery from Carpal Tunnel Drome, Hand Pain, Wrist pain, and RSI.  The first step in healing is admitting that you have a major problem. This slowly debilitating condition is a product of years of physical abuse on your body. It will take months or years to recover from the damage. Adjusting your workstation will not solve all your problems. There is no silver bullet.

Diagnosis

The first step in recovery is finding a competent hand doctor and getting a proper diagnosis.  Ask your friends, colleagues, and family for suggestions.  We are not medical professionals, and are not qualified to provide medical information.

Hand Therapy

Hand Therapists helped me the most with my recovery and education.  From them, you will learn about Hot and Cold Transition Baths, Paraffin Wax Therapy, Icing, Wrist braces, and Ergonomics.  Keeping a Log Book is a helpful step to take. Massage and Vacations come into play.

Books

Education through reading Carpal Tunnel Syndrome books is very important. An educated patient will recover faster.

Lifestyle Modification

Carpal Tunnel and Hand Pain recovery will require changes in how you drive, bike, or even use handbags. Any use of your hands will need to be examined and optimized.

Work Changes

Computer Ergonomics are important to prevent further damage and to change work habits. Keyboards, input devices, chairs, desks, and other elements require attention.

We hope you find our experiences helpful in your recover from Carpal Tunnel or hand pain.  Please comment with your own experiences so others can benefit.