Carpal tunnel pain can be treated both with ice (or cold) therapy and with heat.
There are therapists who believe that ice is often the better treatment for carpal tunnel pain. Ice helps relieve pain and inflammation (swelling and irritation in your tissues.)
Ice slows the blood flow temporarily while it acts as a pain reducer with no side effects. However, cold also increases blood flow because the cold tissues call for more heat!
The rule of thumb is heat for muscles and cold for nerve symptoms.
Heat, however, increases the blood flow and so relieves pain by relaxing tight muscles. Heat is especially useful with long-standing or chronic carpal tunnel pain (pain you have had for a long time.)
Ice, however, is used for carpal tunnel pain that has just started recently, or for a new injury, or for new treatment.
The recommendation to use ice is generally for the first 48 hours, but the inflammatory stage can last up to 5 days. So, it is okay to use ice or cold therapy for the first 5 days after you start using it.
After that, you can alternate between cold therapy and heat therapy.
Some people don’t like to use ice or cold. They find it too uncomfortable.
And, in some cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, ice may not be the best treatment.
People who have impaired blood flow could get worse symptoms by using ice. People with certain vascular (blood) diseases that affect the circulation in their hands and arms should not use ice.
People with Reynaud’s syndrome should not use ice for their carpal tunnel pain.
How can you use ice or cold therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome?
- You can put ice chips in a plastic baggie. Use a zip-lock baggie or a twist tie to close the baggie tightly. You can put the baggie directly on your skin or put a thin layer (or 2) of fabric between the bag and your skin. Keep an eye on your skin for any sign of irritation. If you see redness or discoloration, stop that session. You can go back to it later. Otherwise, keep the ice pack on for 20 to 30 minutes maximum.
- You can use a gel cold pack. It’s not quite as cold as ice chips, but you still might feel more comfortable with some thin cloth between your skin and it. Again, 20 to 30 minutes, on and off.
- Ice massage is another option. Freeze water in Styrofoam cups or paper cups. When you are ready to use one, just tear off some of the lip of the cup to expose the ice. Hold the cup with your opposite hand (use a cloth or rubber holder if it’s too cold.) Rub the ice in small circles on the area that needs
cold therapy. Rub all around an area in little circles. Don’t just rub where it hurts, rather do a large area. This type of ice massage cools your tissues quickly, so as soon as an area begins to feel numb (maybe a minute) move to another area. (Another way to use ice is as an ‘ice popsicle.’ Put a popsicle stick or spoon in the cup before the water freezes and this gives you a handle to hold.)
Where should you use ice therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome?
You might think the logical place to work on your carpal tunnel is in the areas where you have the most symptoms (pain, numbness, tingling, nervy sensations or other discomfort.) That’s not necessarily true.
When pain is new, just a few days old, treating the painful area is often the correct thing to do.
However, if you have had carpal tunnel pain for a longer time, the causes of your symptoms are most likely where you are NOT hurting.
What this means is: Use ice therapy where your symptoms are and also use cold therapy on the areas that are causing your carpal tunnel syndrome.
You feel your symptoms around your wrist, hand and lower arm. But, the cause might be the muscles near the top of your lower arm, in your upper arm or even your shoulder.
Feel around, press into your muscles with the fingers of your other hand, and find out what’s tender. That’s one way to find the muscles that are causing your carpal tunnel pain. Those are the other areas to ice, beside your lower arm, wrist and hand.
So, now you know how to use ice to reduce your carpal tunnel syndrome.
And, that’s a good thing. Another very good thing is the Carpal Tunnel Tool Kit. Click that link to learn more about a program that I created–simple and easy to use–just for you!
“Because You Deserve to Feel Better!”
Hi Susan,
The reason to stop at the first sign of redness is to prevent your skin from being damaged by the ice pack.
But please remember: The pain in your wrist is not usually caused by muscles and tissues around your wrist.
Use the cold pack on your arm all the way from wrist to elbow and see if that helps more.
The problem causing your pain may be coming from the muscles in your hand, in your lower arm, your upper arm or even the muscles in your neck, chest or near the shoulder blade!
There is more information here in the Categories for Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Related Aches and Pains.
There is also great information at http://CarpalTunnelPainStoppers.com
The burning pain in your hand MAY be due to compression of the nerve as it passes through your wrist canal BUT there is a reason for it to be compressed.
The reason just may be the muscles in your lower arm are pressing on the nerve and irritating it. That’s why I am suggesting cold packs on your arm from wrist to elbow to start.
I hope this helps you start getting rid of the burning pain in your hand and wrist.
My wrist and hand recently started to suffer a burning pain, especially when I type or wiggle my fingers. My wrist gets very red from ice pack, why should I stop at the sign of redness?
Thank you very much, Robert.
Helping people understand why they have pain and natural ways (like ice therapy) to get rid of pain is my pleasure.
Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach
Very good and descriptive article.
Hi Kathryn…
They were great tips about using ice and heat — I have a few friends who suffer with carpal tunnel and struggle at times with the pain. The guidelines you gave will be very useful for them.
Thanks for the info!
Jeanne