Your Health In Mind with Michael Storm and Dr. Dean Lloyd, October 14, 2026 Hour 1

Show for 10-14-26 “Carpal Tunnel and Kim Chi, Sauerkraut etc..Fermented foods”

Carpal tunnel syndrome: 

It causes numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain in the hand and wrist due to pressure on the median nerve (The three main nerves that run through the wrist to the hand are the median nerve, the ulnar nerve, and the radial nerve). 

Common Symptoms  • Numbness and Tingling: A “pins and needles” feeling usually affects the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers (but not the pinky finger). • Nighttime Discomfort: Symptoms often start or worsen at night, frequently waking people up and leading them to “shake out” their hands for relief. • Shock-Like Sensations: Brief, electric shock-like jolts may radiate into the affected fingers. • Traveling Pain: Aching or shooting pain can travel from the wrist up into the forearm and arm. • Hand Weakness: Reduced grip strength can make it hard to hold items, leading to dropping objects or trouble with fine motor tasks like buttoning a shirt.

Causes

Symptoms and Causes What are the signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome? The most common carpal tunnel symptoms include:  Numbness in your wrist, hand or fingers (especially your fingertips) Pain in your wrist, hand or fingers Tingling Trouble using your hands to hold or control objects (like holding your phone, gripping the steering wheel, holding a pen or typing on a keyboard, for example) 

Carpal tunnel syndrome usually develops slowly. You might only experience minor symptoms at first that may get worse over time.  People usually first notice symptoms at night — pain or tingling may wake you up. Over time, the symptoms may start affecting you during the day, especially if you do the same kind of motion a lot at work like typing, writing or using tools.  What does carpal tunnel syndrome feel like? 

Carpal tunnel syndrome can make your wrists, hands and fingers feel uncomfortable. It may feel like pinpricks or like your fingers or hands “fell asleep.” You may also feel numbness that makes you want to shake your hands like you’re flinging water off them.  Carpal tunnel syndrome pain usually feels like it’s coming from inside your hand or wrist — not a skin-level pain like a cut. The pain may feel like a sharp, burning stab or a constant ache.  Some people with carpal tunnel syndrome feel like their hands and grip are weaker than normal. It might feel like you can’t get a solid hold on a mug or pen, even if you’re concentrating on it.  Your hands and fingers may feel clumsy or less able to perform precise motions, like buttoning a shirt or aiming a key into a lock. 

 Extra pressure on your median nerve causes carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel has space for all the parts that pass through it, but if one part of your wrist is swollen or damaged, it can press on other tissue around it, including your median nerve.  

Anything that causes swelling or irritation in your wrist can cause carpal tunnel syndrome:  Repetitive strain injuries Arthritis Sprains Wrist fractures (broken wrist bones) Ganglion cysts What are the risk factors? Anyone can develop carpal tunnel syndrome, but some people are more likely to, including:  People who do repetitive motions with their hands and wrists for work (swinging a hammer, for example) People who use power tools that vibrate (like drills or jackhammers) Pregnant women Women Adults over the age of 40 People whose biological relatives have carpal tunnel syndrome (it can be hereditary, or passed through generations in families) Having certain health conditions can increase your carpal tunnel syndrome risk, including:  Rheumatoid arthritis Gout Hypothyroidism Diabetes Obesity Amyloidosis What are the complications? If a healthcare provider doesn’t diagnose and treat carpal tunnel syndrome as soon as possible, the irritation in your wrist can cause permanent damage. Specifically, the extra pressure can damage your median nerve, which may make it hard or impossible to feel, move or use your hand.  Visit a healthcare provider as soon as you notice carpal tunnel symptoms or any changes in how you can feel or use your hand and wrist.

Treatment

 Treatment Options  • Nonsurgical care: Wearing a wrist splint (especially at night) to keep the wrist straight, making ergonomic adjustments, taking anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), or receiving corticosteroid injections.

 • Surgical care: A minor procedure called carpal tunnel release (open or endoscopic) to cut the transverse carpal ligament and relieve pressure on the nerve if conservative methods fail.

Non-Surgical

Acupuncture

Mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome can often be managed and relieved without surgery through targeted lifestyle changes, splinting, and exercises.  Wrist Splinting  • Wear a brace at night: Put on a snug wrist splint while sleeping to keep your wrist in a neutral position. This prevents you from bending your wrist and reduces pressure on the median nerve. • Avoid daytime bending: Try to keep your wrist straight during daily tasks like driving or typing.  Ergonomics and Lifestyle Changes  • Adjust your workspace: Position your keyboard and mouse so your wrists stay flat and neutral, and use a padded wrist rest. • Take frequent breaks: Step away from repetitive hand or typing motions every 30 to 60 minutes to stretch and rest your hands. • Manage underlying factors: Lower overall inflammation by losing weight if needed, quitting smoking, or managing conditions like diabetes.  At-Home Exercises and Glides  • Tendon glides: Gently move your fingers from a straight hand to a hook fist, then a full fist, to help tendons slide smoothly through the narrow tunnel. • Nerve glides: Extend your arm to the side with your palm up, then tilt your wrist and head gently to stretch the median nerve without causing sharp pain. • Gentle stretching: Flex and extend your wrist slowly within a comfortable, pain-free range of motion for 1 to 2 minutes.  Ice, Heat, and Pain Relief  • Cold packs: Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the base of your palm for 10 to 15 minutes to numb pain and bring down swelling. • Over-the-counter medicine: Use short-term NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium to ease acute discomfort, though they do not cure the underlying compression. • Medical procedures: A doctor can provide a targeted cortisone injection into the carpal tunnel to reduce severe swelling.

Mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome can often be managed and relieved without surgery through targeted lifestyle changes, splinting, and exercises.  Wrist Splinting  • Wear a brace at night: Put on a snug wrist splint while sleeping to keep your wrist in a neutral position. This prevents you from bending your wrist and reduces pressure on the median nerve. • Avoid daytime bending: Try to keep your wrist straight during daily tasks like driving or typing.  Ergonomics and Lifestyle Changes  • Adjust your workspace: Position your keyboard and mouse so your wrists stay flat and neutral, and use a padded wrist rest. • Take frequent breaks: Step away from repetitive hand or typing motions every 30 to 60 minutes to stretch and rest your hands. • Manage underl