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Physical therapy to treat carpal tunnel syndrome
By Mayo Clinic staffSometimes, physical therapy or special hand exercises relieve mild to moderate symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. These therapies include:
- Gliding exercises. Moving your fingers in a specified pattern of exercises may help your tendons and nerves glide more smoothly through your carpal tunnel. While there's some evidence that gliding exercises can help relieve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms when used alone, these exercises appear to work better in combination with other treatments — such as splinting.
- Contrast baths. Alternating between warm water and cold water soaks helps reduce carpal tunnel symptoms in some people.
- Ultrasound. Deep, pulsed ultrasound directed at the carpal tunnel can reduce pain and numbness, and improve hand strength. Continuous superficial ultrasound doesn't help.
- Traction. Some people obtain relief from carpal tunnel symptoms by using a hand traction device, called C-Trac. You might try this device, which can be purchased for home use, if other conservative treatment options have failed.
