Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Some structures in our bodies, such as nerves and ligaments, use tunnels to get where they’re going. One of the busiest tunnels is the carpal tunnel, which allows nerve, blood vessels, and ligaments to pass through the wrist and into the fingers.

There’s usually a lot of room inside the carpal tunnel. But when you use your hands and wrists a lot while typing, sowing, or doing other repetitive motions, tissues inside the tunnel may become inflamed and swollen, causing them to press against the nerve. This can cause pain in the wrist as well as tingling or numbness in the fingers.

One of the best remedies for carpal tunnel syndrome is simply to give your wrists a rest. In addition, there’s some evidence that eating flaxseed may help reduce inflammation in the body, including the wrists.

Flaxseed contains a compound called alpha-linolenic acid, which has been shown to reduce levels of prosyaglandins, chemicals in the body that contribute to inflammation. It also contains other compounds called lignans, which have antioxidant properties that can block the effects of harmful oxygen molecules called free radicals. This is important because free radicals are produced in large amounts wherever there’s inflammation, and unless they’re stopped, they make the inflammation even worse.

Some evidence suggests that getting 25 to 30 grams (about 3 tablespoons) of ground flaxseed or 1 to 3 tablespoons of faxed oil might be enough to help ease the symptoms.

Since the body can’t digest whole flaxseed, be sure to buy flaxseed that’s been ground, or grind it yourself. You can add the ground seed to hot serials or mix it into flour when you bake.

While you’re thinking about ways to get more flaxseed into your diet, you should probably also be thinking about how to get extra calories out. There’s scientific evidence that showing being overweight can increase the pain in the carpal tunnel – heavy people have a tendency to accumulate more fluid in the soft tissues, including the wrists. As fluids accumulate, they begin putting pressure on the nerve inside the carpal tunnel, while also reducing the amount of oxygen it receives.

Losing weight isn’t necessary a “cure” for carpal tunnel syndrome. But if you are overweight and having problems, losing even a few pounds might take some pressure off this vulnerable nerve.