Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a prevalent condition that occurs when the median nerve at the wrist is compressed. This can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand, wrist, and fingers. In severe cases, muscle atrophy may occur, making it challenging to perform daily tasks. Therefore, effective and safe non-surgical treatments for CTS are highly sought after
Acupuncture is becoming increasingly popular and accepted worldwide as a treatment for neuro-musculoskeletal disorders. Studies examining the effectiveness of acupuncture for CTS are starting to emerge. One research review analyzed data from 16 eligible studies involving a total of 1,025 participants. The average age of participants ranged from 36.4 to 53.6 years. Fifteen of the studies focused on patients with mild to moderate CTS, examining the effects of acupuncture as both a standalone and adjunctive therapy for CTS.
The review found that compared to night splints, acupuncture as a standalone therapy was more effective in relieving pain. As an adjunctive treatment, acupuncture was shown to effectively alleviate symptom severity, functional status, pain intensity, and electrophysiological parameters. Additionally, acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy was more effective than medicine in ameliorating symptom severity, functional status, pain intensity, and electrophysiological parameters.
Overall, the review suggests that acupuncture may be a promising non-surgical intervention for individuals with mild to moderate CTS.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a prevalent condition that occurs when the median nerve at the wrist is compressed. This can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand, wrist, and fingers. In severe cases, muscle atrophy may occur, making it challenging to perform daily tasks. Therefore, effective and safe non-surgical treatments for CTS are highly sought after
Acupuncture is becoming increasingly popular and accepted worldwide as a treatment for neuro-musculoskeletal disorders. Studies examining the effectiveness of acupuncture for CTS are starting to emerge. One research review analyzed data from 16 eligible studies involving a total of 1,025 participants. The average age of participants ranged from 36.4 to 53.6 years. Fifteen of the studies focused on patients with mild to moderate CTS, examining the effects of acupuncture as both a standalone and adjunctive therapy for CTS.
The review found that compared to night splints, acupuncture as a standalone therapy was more effective in relieving pain. As an adjunctive treatment, acupuncture was shown to effectively alleviate symptom severity, functional status, pain intensity, and electrophysiological parameters. Additionally, acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy was more effective than medicine in ameliorating symptom severity, functional status, pain intensity, and electrophysiological parameters.
Overall, the review suggests that acupuncture may be a promising non-surgical intervention for individuals with mild to moderate CTS.
References
Qinjian Dong et al Front Neurosci. 2023; 17: 1097455.
