What is the difference between carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a specific set of symptoms. It has only a few causes.
Repetitive strain injuries are often mis-diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Repetitive strain injuries are caused by either over-use, using your body incorrectly (faulty body mechanics or poor posture) or both.
Some doctors call repetitive strain injury “idiopathic”. Idiopathic means “no known cause.” Some say that about carpal tunnel syndrome, too.
But, doesn’t everything have a cause? Even carpal tunnel syndrome?
Yes, it does.
A recent medical metastudy of 117 studies indicated that repetitive movement was not a cause of repetitive strain injury.
Well, then, why do you have pain in your arm, hand and wrist?
Perhaps the researchers did not look quite far enough into the causes of carpal tunnel area pain.
An individual who is very fit and healthy and who has very good posture and a strong back side is much less likely to get a repetitive strain injury or carpal tunnel syndrome, either.
But those of us who have muscle imbalances, poor posture, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and are not in the peak of good health, well…
We are much more like to get a repetitive strain injury (as well as carpal tunnel pain.)
A “strain” means a
muscle strain. Muscles get strained when they are used in ways that pull more on some muscles than others. That is one way we get muscular imbalances.
Muscle strains and “trigger points” (from irritated muscles) in your arm, neck, back, chest and hand do cause pain in and around your carpal tunnel.
Improving your general health, posture and diet, and working and playing in ergonomic (body neutral) ways will help reduce your carpal tunnel area pain, no matter what the cause.
And, don’t forget therapeutic massage! Click this link to learn how to find a massage therapist who can actually help you.
I am very biased about the value of massage for carpal tunnel pain relief.
Massage therapy can help immensely.
And if you’d like more information about an all-natural, simple carpal tunnel pain relief program that also helps get rid of repetitive strain injuries, please click here: Carpal Tunnel Tool Kit. I created it just for you!
“Because You Deserve to Feel Better!”