How to Perform a Carpal Tunnel Massage

From Dr. Z - Carpal tunnel syndrome specialist

What is a Carpal Tunnel Massage?

Carpal tunnel massage is an effective remedy for carpal tunnel syndrome. In fact, it's the first therapeutic choice of physical therapists because it does not require surgery and works quite well in most patients.

The specific type of massage that therapists use is called “myofascial release”. If you have carpal tunnel symptoms this therapy eliminates the pain, numbness or tingling with good success. If you think you have (or are getting) carpal tunnel syndrome, it’s an excellent preventive measure to stop the advancement of this serious hand condition.

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Key facts about carpal tunnel syndrome

1. It all starts with strained tendons

Understanding how you get carpal tunnel shows why carpal tunnel massage is so successful. First, the main thing to know about carpal tunnel is that it’s a problem with your forearm flexor tendons. These are the ropy structures in your wrist joint which run to your fingers so you can curl them (and grasp).

If these tendons are stressed or overworked, they begin to fail. That means they develop adhesions and restrictions between them and surrounding tissues. These adhesions cause tendon irritation and inflammation. As a result, swelling occurs deep inside the wrist joint.

2. Then strained tendons swell and crush the nerve

Swelling is actually the result of fluid build-up. Therefore, as more and more fluid builds up, pressure increases deep inside the wrist joint.

Unfortunately, the median nerve (which controls hand and finger sensation) is in the middle of all the swelling. So as fluid slowly builds up and pressure increases, the median nerve undergoes compression.

In time, the increasing pressure crushes the median nerve. As a result, you feel the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. The major symptoms are hand (palm) or finger:

Pain
Numbness
Tingling (pins & needles)
Burning
Soreness
Weakness
Shooting electric shocks

Carpal tunnel massage can fix the problem

Breaking up the adhesions around tendons eliminates the irritation surrounding them. Then the tendons are able to glide smoothly again. So breaking up those adhesions is crucial to the healing process.

Carpal tunnel massage uses myofascial release. That means the therapist “kneads” the tissues over your wrist and forearm. They use both thumbs to break up or “release” the adhesions.

In earlier days, it was thought such kneading only broke up the adhesions between muscles (“myo”) and their surrounding connective tissue (“fascia”). Hence the term myo-fascial release. But today, such kneading between any two adjacent tissues is also called myofascial release massage.

Therefore, myofascial release massage is effective against carpal tunnel syndrome because it destroys adhesions. But it also drains excess fluid build-up inside your wrist joint. Therefore, when fluid drains out, it releases even more pressure on the median nerve. This is how the median nerve is able to recover from the damage caused by fluid pressure.

myofascial release massage on a carpal tunnel patient

Key points of carpal tunnel massage

Perform it properly

If you or a therapist performs this carpal tunnel massage, ensure it's properly applied. Many people make the mistake of trying to massage themselves. Doing so is not very effective. In fact, the motions required make it impossible to do it properly on yourself.

You need the two thumbs to perform myofascial release massage for carpal tunnel. Therefore, you need a partner or a therapist. All physical therapists know how to do this. Alternatively, you can use the CarpalRx which is calibrated to perform myofascial release massage automatically.

Establish a regimen

A daily therapy routine is extremely important. You must get a carpal tunnel massage daily (twice daily is best) and for at least 4 weeks if you have carpal tunnel syndrome. For example, carve out time (preferably morning and evening) to get a 15 minute treatment from a partner, therapist or the CarpalRx.

Patience

Be patient with your tendons' healing process. A proper carpal tunnel massage is not an overnight cure for carpal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, faithfully follow your daily regimen for several weeks to see good results. Remember, it took years (literally) for you to acquire carpal tunnel syndrome. So nothing will cure the symptoms overnight.

The “Do Not’s” of carpal tunnel massage

Do not try messaging yourself

Do not try to perform a carpal tunnel massage with myofascial release on yourself. It just won’t work because you need two thumbs to knead the skin and underlying tissues.

Do not skip sessions

Do not skip daily sessions of your carpal tunnel massage. Consistency and persistence is the key. Otherwise, you’re just throwing money away or wasting time.

Do not use vibrating massagers

Never use a vibration massager to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. In fact, vibrating tool users are almost 10 times more likely to get carpal tunnel syndrome than other people. Vibrating tools cause vibration syndrome. This is very similar to carpal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, don’t invite more carpal tunnel pain or numbness with a vibrating device.

How therapists perform carpal tunnel massage

Rotating fingers

A therapist performs a carpal tunnel massage primarily with their thumbs. But it's actually best to use the thumbs AND forefingers if possible.

Therapists make deep, rotating patterns on the wrist and forearm. The motions are counter-rotating (moving in opposing directions). And they repeat the pattern over and over. This effectively kneads the skin and tissues below.

The massaging fingers should never stay in one area for long. Instead, they must move slightly up and down the lower wrist and forearm areas. They should cover an area of approximately 3-6 square inches.

The results

As they move, the massaging fingers knead the skin and deeper tissues. The massaging thumbs mostly work the base of your wrist where nerve compression is severe. Furthermore, the massaging motion concentrates on moving across the wrist (left to right) as well as forward and backward.

Most therapists use as much massage pressure as the patient can bear without it being too painful. Generally, the therapy takes about 15 minutes.

As a result of this motion, the massaging fingers break up the tendon adhesions. It also drains fluid from inside the wrist joint. Finally, the massaging motion improves blood flow. All of this is vital to helping the median nerve heal.

Most therapists say that carpal tunnel massage with myofascial release works exceptionally well. It eliminates carpal tunnel syndrome so that pain and numbness disappear for good.

But they also caution that for this technique to work, you must have it every day. Moreover, you must have it performed for several weeks. If you don't devote yourself to such a regimen then you’re just wasting time and money

Conclusion

A proper carpal tunnel massage will incorporate the myofascial release technique. During massage the kneading motion breaks up tendon adhesions that cause swelling and pressure on the median nerve. In time, excess fluid drains out of the wrist joint causing symptoms to disappear. However, you need this massage twice daily for at least 4 weeks to see symptoms disappear completely.