Will CBD relieve carpal tunnel syndrome?
Problems with carpals
The carpal tunnel is the passage between the forearm and the palm. Many bones and ligaments attach to it and countless nerves, blood vessels and tendons pass through it. It's a highly stressed part of the body. The disease falls into the category of isthmus syndromes and affects about 5% of people, mostly women. Unfortunately, it is known for its recurrence - once cured, it "likes to come back".
Carpal tunnel syndrome is commonly referred to as the "office disease", where people spend most of their time at a keyboard and with a computer mouse in hand, but complications can also be caused by overexertion during sports, working with vibrating tools (impact drill, pneumatic hammer), playing musical instruments or excessive water retention in the body during hormonal changes such as pregnancy or menopause. It can also be related to pinched nerves or infection.
The biggest problem with carpal tunnel syndrome is that the symptoms have a very gradual onset and for a long time (often several months) appear to be a normal problem caused by many hours of work a day.
Problems usually involve the dominant hand and are manifested by tingling and tingling of the fingers, momentary numbness, dullness and slowed reflexes. Symptoms often appear at rest - during the night or in the morning.
The disease has typical symptoms and the diagnosis is not difficult, but to be sure, an EMG examination is performed to check the nerve impulses around the wrist.
Research is lagging behind
So far, there has been no research to confirm a link between cannabidiol use and the treatment or relief of problems associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. There is a study of 29 participants who experienced a reduction in pain, tension and inflammation with regular CBD intake. 15 patients received CBD oil, 14 a placebo. After four weeks, the first group experienced a significant reduction in pain, cold and tingling sensations. The 2020 study points out that while CBD does relieve pain, its effects are not universal in this regard and may not help everyone with carpal tunnel problems. More research needs to be done and more patients need to be involved.
The ideal form of CBD
THC has an effect on neuropathy, which is typical of advanced carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a disorder of the peripheral nerves that control the digestive tract, urinary and genital tracts, or the heart, and make it possible to sense temperature, pain or touch. So if you decide to sublingually administer CBD oil because of the rapid onset of effects, full-spectrum drops are a great choice. CBD isolate (the purest form of CBD) may not manifest at all, and even broad-spectrum products, despite containing other cannabinoids (CBG, CBN, CBC) that amplify the effects of CBD and enhance the effect of the accompaniment, do not guarantee enough potency in this case to attenuate pain, tension, inflammation or ongoing infection.
Regular massages and special exercises for blood circulation in the wrists, hands and forearms are the best possible prevention and help with problems. You can use topical products with CBD for this. Cannabidiol works directly at the site of the pain and can provide immediate relief. Creams have two advantages over stimulants. The first is the ability to apply them several times a day. Secondly, if you don't choose from our wide range of products, you can simply make your own cream or ointment at home. All you need is a cream without a strong perfume and a few drops of CBD oil.
However, no medicine is a panacea, and until you give your wrist a rest, the trouble will not go away on its own. On the contrary, they may come back with even greater force and an operative solution will be needed. The surgery itself, which releases the pinched nerve in the wrist, takes no more than a quarter of an hour. However, the subsequent recovery can stretch for up to six months and the patient has to face many limitations in everyday life, such as insufficient strength in the hand when cutting, working with tools or carrying loads.
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