Tantric Yoga Techniques

Many people who are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome first imagine that the only way they can get relief is through surgery. For those who have spent days or hours stuck behind a computer trying to plug away at their projects, dealing with the numbness and pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, this is not a pleasant sounding option. But it’s not only office workers who are considering surgery as an option. It is construction workers, painters and many other types of workers as well.

If the person uses their hands and wrists in the same particular way on a daily basis for most of each day they might suffer from this syndrome. If, like so many people, they also do not maintain the proper posture and/or technique they will aggravate the situation further. The individual, who spends his or her days hunched over their computer keyboard and never takes a break to even give their hands and wrists a good stretch, is courting with trouble. Unfortunately for them that trouble could turn into carpal tunnel syndrome.

To understand carpal tunnel syndrome, you need to understand the physiology of the syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome, quite simply, is the tightening of the wrist that compresses the median nerve and causes all of the typical symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. It can be a debilitating and sometimes excruciating condition that requires some sort of intervention to repair.

While there are many types of intervention, surgery is one option for those who wish to be rid of the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel surgery is usually done under “twilight anesthesia”, a somewhat reduces form of anesthesia. The surgery itself involves cutting the transverse carpal ligament to relieve ongoing damage to the nerves. The transverse carpal ligament is a ligament at the wrist that wraps around all the other ligaments running vertically along the arm. The idea is that cutting this ever tightening ligament will immediately reduce pressure on the other ligaments. The transverse carpal ligament will then “scar” together while leaving more room for the other ligaments.

Of course no surgery is risk free and some patients are left with much weaker wrists afterwards. Also, there is a possibility of other nerves and tendons in the area being damaged during the operation. All things considered surgery really should only be the last possible option. To make matters even worse, the patient can expect weeks of recovery after the surgery that can cost as much as ten thousand dollars.

Better solutions recommended by most therapists are to create an environment that is ergonomically sound. Also, use proper posture and technique so that the strain of your job is not limited to your wrists. Stretching of the wrists and taking breaks every now and again is also a great way to relieve that pressure. You can even have hand and wrist massages done that will greatly loosed the soft tissue in the hands and should prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. With all of these options available, it seems amazing that any one would choose surgery first.

It is important that your first priority is to have healthy habits. With that in mind make sure that you are properly informed about carpal tunnel syndrome so that you can make an informed decision.

Carpal tunnel exercises using yoga are quite effective at helping alleviate the symptoms. The physical and mental aspect of yoga helps relax the mind and strengthen the body - a combination that can prove to be a healing mix. There is a problem, however, because yoga can damage the body and exacerbate the symptoms if done improperly. And these problems are very real and very problematic if left unchecked.

There are good and bad ways to do yoga, so try to use good practices to make sure that your carpal tunnel exercises are helping to treat your symptoms rather than making them worse.

Bad Yoga Practices

Simply put, these practices will usually result in doing more harm than good. Keep them in mind if you do not want to worsen your condition.

Overdoing your yoga exercises is a common mistake. A lot of people learn that yoga can be helpful in treating carpal tunnel syndrome and cause themselves new symptoms. While yoga generally improves the body, overdoing it can cause problems if you’re trying to heal.

Excessive weight on joints - the joints (specifically the wrists) are the source of the problem when a person is suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. While a little stretching is good for the wrists, putting too much load on them will stress the damaged nerves even further, causing more pain and damage than healing.

Unsupervised yoga - yoga may sound simple enough when written on paper, especially when you read about how effective do-it-yourself yoga is at healing, but the specific muscle stretches and pulls can damage the muscles if done improperly. You may even make more permanent mistakes if you lack the guidance of a professional.

Good Yoga Practices Bad yoga practices aside, good yoga practices will help a person suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome alleviate their symptoms while avoiding any problems in the long run.

Subsided symptoms - carpal tunnel exercises using yoga are most effective when the initial pain and paralysis has passed. Once this happens, the yoga exercises will help strengthen the muscles and reduce the stress on the damaged nerves. The activity will also promote blood flow into the affected areas, making recovery faster and more complete.

Stretching as opposed to carrying - placing the weight on the wrists will damage them, making the problem worse. But stretching them around will help ease the stress on the wrists and promote faster recovery. As previously mentioned, the increased blood flow will speed up recovery without subjecting your wrists to strenuous and potentially destructive weight.

Doing your carpal tunnel exercises with the guidance of a professional yoga instructor is the safest and most effective means of treating your carpal tunnel syndrome through exercise. He or she can show you the best carpal tunnel yoga exercises and help you avoid the mistakes which can worsen your injuries.

And there you have it. Keep these good and bad yoga practices in mind, and you will be able to do carpal tunnel exercises using yoga without fear of worsening the problem.