The median nerve travels down your arm and into your hand, providing feeling to hand and fingers. It passes through the spaces between the bones of your wrist, called the carpal tunnel. Repetitive activities such as typing and texting can cause the nerve to become pinched by these bones, leading to pain, numbness and/or weakness in your hand. This condition is known as carpal tunnel syndrome and there are a number of remedies and exercises you can perform at home to ease the symptoms.
Wrist Splint
A splint or brace keeps your injured wrist straight, which reduces pressure on the carpal tunnel and, therefore, the trapped median nerve, says the Patient UK website. One study found that using a splint instead of undergoing wrist surgery eased carpal tunnel syndrome in one in three people. For best results, it is recommended that you wear the splint for at least a few weeks; however, you only need use it at night to experience the benefits.
Environmental Changes
Repetitive actions that place continuous strain on your wrists are a major cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, so ensuring your wrists are supported during these activities can help relieve the condition. If you do a lot of typing, PubMed Health recommends positioning your keyboard at a height that ensures your wrists are straight, and your forearms are parallel to the desk, as well as using a keyboard cushion to further support them. You can also buy computer mouses that don't require you to bend your wrists at extreme angles.
Wrist Stretch
Once your symptoms have eased, you can start doing wrist-stretching and -strengthening exercises, which can help prevent a relapse of the condition, says Sportsinjuryclinic.net. Stop immediately if you feel any pain while doing these exercises. Raise your injured arm straight out in front of you and bend your wrist down so your fingers are pointing toward the floor. Place your other hand on the back of the injured hand and apply gentle pressure to increase the stretch and hold for 10 to 20 seconds. To stretch your wrist in the opposite direction, bend it up so your fingers point toward the ceiling and use your other hand to apply gentle pressure against your fingers. Repeat the stretch in both directions, up to three times a day.
Basic Wrist-Strengthening Exercise
Make a fist with your injured hand and place the other hand across the top of it and apply gentle pressure, says Sportsinjuryclinic.net. Try to bend your wrist backward against this resistance, maintaining the tension for between five and 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat up to 10 times, then place the good hand under your injured palm -- the hand should still be in a fist -- and try to bend it down.
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