Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS): How yoga exercises can help

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disorder that
  affects the hands and wrists, which can be quite
  painful. The carpal tunnel is a passageway at the
  base of the hands or the wrists, made up of bones
  and ligaments, through which the median nerve
  passes. The median nerve is what provides feeling
  to the thumb, the index finger, the middle
  finger, and the ring finger. When pressure is
  applied on the median nerve due to inflammation
  or swelling of the tendons and ligaments in the
  carpal tunnel, it results in weakness, tingling,
  numbness or pain in the fingers and hands.

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What are the causes of Carpal tunnel syndrome?

• Doing repetitive movements with the hands can
  result in bringing on this disorder. It occurs
  more commonly amongst those whose job
  necessitates them having to grip or use their
  hands with the wrist in a bent position. For
  example, some of the people susceptible to carpal
  tunnel syndrome are mechanics, musicians, meat
  packers, assembly-line workers, grocery checkers,
  carpenters, and of course those who use the
  computer for long periods of time. This syndrome
  can also be brought on by hobbies like canoeing,
  golfing, needlework, and gardening. Symptoms
  may also be caused by other factors such as the
  wrist being injured, or affected by diseases
  like thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or
  diabetes. It also occurs sometimes in the last
  months of pregnancy.

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Symptoms

• Tingling or numbness in the fingers and hands,
  particularly the thumb, the index finger, and the
  middle finger.
• Pain in the forearm, palm, or wrist.
• Increased numbness felt during the night compared
  to the day time. In fact, the pain could be so
  intense, that it could wake you up. You may find
  yourself rubbing or shaking your hand in order to
  alleviate the pain.
• Increased pain on using the wrist or hand more.
• Weakness in the thumb.
• Difficulty in gripping things.

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Treatments

• Yoga exercises for Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Forearm Wrist Twist This exercise begins by
  placing the right arm against a wall. Make sure
  that your fingers are spread equally. Extend your
  elbow and press the palm completely against the
  wall. Wait for a few breaths and then move your
  head towards the left. Hold for a minute.
• Extended Full Body Stretch Take both the arms
  with palms facing down to the sides and raise
  them till shoulder level. Extend your fingers.
  While exhaling, rotate the shoulders in such a
  way that the palms face up. On the next exhale,
  bring both the arms overhead. Make sure that the
  elbows are stretched and palms face each other.
  Press your feet into the floor and stretch the
  side torso. After a few breaths, interlock your
  fingers. Stretch the fingers and press the palm
  towards the ceiling.

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Treatments
Continue

• Hold this stretch and then bend to one side.
  Bend to the other side while holding this
  stretch. This exercise can also be performed when
  seated in your office chair. If you are doing
  this exercise in a sitting position, then ensure
  that you press your thigh bones into the chair,
  while stretching up.
• Opening the Chest Take your arms behind your
  back and interlock your fingers with the palms
  facing the torso. Now roll the shoulders in the
  backward direction, but ensure that the ribs are
  not poking forward. Stretch your elbows while
  exhaling and let it remain in that position for a
  few breaths. On the next exhale, bend your elbows
  and then slowly bring your wrists to your waist.
  Now gently press the elbow of your right hand
  towards the left.

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Some preventive measures for Carpal tunnel
syndrome

• If your job requires performing the same tasks
  over and over with your hands, try not bending,
  twisting or extending your hands for extended
  periods of time.
• Avoid resting your wrists on surfaces that are
  hard for extended periods of time.
• While working, see that your arms are not too far
  away or too close to your body.
• While performing tasks, keep switching hands.
• Taking breaks regularly from repetitive hand
  movements is a good way to give your wrists and
  hands time to rest.
• Ensure that the tools you are using are not too
  large for your hands.
• If you use the keyboard for extended periods of
  time, make sure to see that your forearms are at
  the same level as the keyboard, and that you do
  not need to flex your wrists in order to type.
• If there are any diseases that are causing the
  syndrome, get it treated.
• On the whole, prevention is the key. Moreover,
  these yoga exercises are simple and practising
  them everyday will ensure an improvement in your
  hand strength and a significant reduction in pain.

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