A housekeeper was explaining her ‘carpal tunnel pain.’ She said she had two friends who had also just developed the same pain.
“It starts here.” She pointed to her hand. “And then it starts going up my arm. My friends have the same symptoms.”
You have it backward, I said.
I’ll bet it started here (I pointed to her lower arm) when those muscles got tight because you work so hard. And those tight muscles in your arm are causing the pain in your hand.
You just felt it first in your hand, I said. That’s called a symptom.
Often we don‘t feel the muscles that are causing symptoms. We just feel the symptoms.
And those sneaky litle symptoms lie all the time!
But symptoms are clues. They tell us that something is happening to cause the pain.
Here’s how bodies work: Pain generally travels downward.
Pain in your hand can be caused by muscles in your hand. Or your lower arm. Or your upper arm. Or your chest, shoulder or upper back muscles.
Pain in your hand can even be caused by muscles in your neck.
But pain in your hand, wrist or arm that doesn’t mean you have carpal tunnel syndrome. Hand pain is often misunderstood and mis-diagnosed, even by doctors.
The tendons from the finger muscles run way up toward your elbow. And you have fairly large muscles in your lower arm. When those muscles are overworked or tight, they press on the tendons. They cause symptoms.
What’s the solution for your ‘carpal tunnel pain’?
For a few minutes, stop vacuuming or doing whatever job makes you use the muscles in your lower arm so much. Take a break.
And while you are giving the muscles in your lower arm a break, massage those babies. They need it! 🙂
Hi Heidi,
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate it!
A bigger problem is that doctors don’t realize the cause and effect of most pain. They only offer what they know and learned.
And I learned first hand that you shouldn’t go to a surgeon for a first opinion because, naturally, that opinion will most often be surgery.
I am grateful for people who take self-care seriously instead of just doing what the doctor says automatically.
There are times when surgery is exactly the necessary treatment and I’m glad for that, too, but more often it’s not the best answer for carpal tunnel pain.
Great article Kathryn! I wish more people would believe that this relationship truly exists, but I find they choose to believe their doctors and opt for the surgery ultimately.