Does Acupuncture Work As a Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Acupuncture has been found to be an effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. This has been shown in case studies comparing acupuncture to steroids for carpal tunnel pain relief. In addition, there is anecdotal evidence showing positive results.

Condition

• Carpal tunnel syndrome is due to compression of the carpal tunnel which presses on the median nerve in the hand. This pressure causes the symptoms of pain, numbness and tingling that describe the syndrome. Often, this is due to repetitive motion such as typing.

Theory

• According to Chinese medical theory, the compression of the carpal tunnel is due to stagnation of qi (energy) and blood in that area. The acupuncture treatment will seek to move the qi and the blood, removing the stagnation and, therefore, relieving the accompanying symptoms.

Diagnosis

• In addition to diagnosing the condition with Chinese medical theory, an acupuncturist that specializes in musculoskeletal problems will often do an orthopedic diagnosis as well. This is important because carpal tunnel syndrome is often misdiagnosed. The symptoms sometimes originate in the neck or shoulders. Thoracic outlet syndrome is often mistaken for carpal tunnel.

Symptomatic Relief

• A case study done this year showed that acupuncture is at least as effective in relieving the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome as steroids. This is especially beneficial for people who do not want to take steroids or who do not tolerate them well. Another study used MRI diagnostics to show symptomatic improvement with acupuncture.

Long-term Benefits

• More clinical trials need to be done on the effects of acupuncture in curing carpal tunnel. There are, however, numerous reports from acupuncturists whose patients have experienced excellent results in eliminating their carpal tunnel symptoms and the need for surgery as well as positive preliminary indications from studies.