Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which a nerve in your wrist, called the median nerve, is pinched by a narrow passageway called the carpal tunnel. Alternative health practitioners claim that trigger point therapy, a procedure in which pressure is applied to areas where a muscle spasm is located, can improve symptoms of carpal tunnel.  Balance in Motion is an experienced Santa Barbara massage therapy provider for this type of injury.

FORMATION OF TRIGGER POINTS
Trigger points can form when you overuse specific muscles by doing repetitive motions. Trigger points associated with carpal tunnel can develop as a result of typing and using a computer mouse, although working on an assembly line and using vibrating power tools have also been implicated in the development of carpal tunnel.

The overuse of specific muscles causes damage to the muscles as well as the connective tissues. This can lead to inflammation, which inhibits proper blood circulation. When the blood does not circulate correctly, the muscle becomes deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Eventually, you begin to experience pain and abnormal sensations, such as numbness and tingling.

 

TRIGGER POINT THERAPY
There are more than 10 muscles that contain trigger points and can produce the symptoms of carpal tunnel. These muscles include the wrist extensors, the wrist flexors, the pectoralis minor and the scalene muscle group.

During trigger point therapy, a skilled practitioner will look for symptoms of trigger points and  trigger point referral patterns and feel your wrist and body in certain areas. Trigger points usually feel like a hard knot underneath the skin. Once trigger points are located, the practitioner applies pressure to the area to unlock the contracted muscle. Once the trigger point begins to soften, more pressure will be added until the trigger point fully releases.