You definitely CAN eliminate the pain and numbness of carpal tunnel syndrome without surgery. In fact, remission of symptoms often occurs in just a matter of weeks, and it's permanent!

There are 4 primary, non-surgical treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome that work as well, and often better than surgery. All are cleared for use in carpal tunnel syndrome by the FDA.

Doctors and therapists usually prescribe these treatments before recommending carpal tunnel surgery. And usually two or more of these treatments are prescribed simultaneously (especially when symptoms are severe).

Exactly which treatment (or treatments) you should use depends on:

• How severe your carpal tunnel symptoms are, and
• How long you've had these symptoms

Be certain you have carpal tunnel: take this self-test.

Doctors use steroid injections (or corticosteroid shots) to reduce inflammation inside your wrist. This lessens flexor tendon swelling, which then relieves compression on the median nerve (and the cause of symptoms).

In the 45% of patients in whom steroid injections are effective, symptoms disappear in a few days to weeks. And the effect can last 4-6 months. Unfortunately, symptoms will return again by about 6 months.

About 75% of injected patients opt for surgery within 1 year. Therefore, doctors consider steroid shots a temporary fix for carpal tunnel syndrome. In other words, the temporary relief, failure rate, and health risks associated with steroid injections for carpal tunnel make it a poor long-term solution for this condition.

Of all the treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome, perhaps the most effective is manual massage therapy. But not just any massage will work. In fact, some types of massage can be harmful (like using a vibration massager).

A specific message technique called myofascial release must be used. When properly performed, it's effective in 97% of patients who use it. Symptoms either resolve fully or near-fully within 30 days. And it works even for severe symptoms.

The reason myofascial release massage works so well is because of what it does to the flexor tendons. The rhythmic kneading motion loosens tendon restrictions. It also increases the area's blood circulation and promotes lymphatic drainage.

This combination of benefits allows tendons to glide smoother. It also relieves tendon inflammation. As a result, the tendons are healthier and not swollen. The result is relief of pressure on the median nerve, which in turn provides permanent relief of carpal tunnel symptoms.

Wearing a wrist brace at night (or "night bracing") is proven in clinical trials to reverse symptoms of mild or moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. It has little effect on severe symptoms.

Wearing a night brace is one of the best treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome --  especially in it's early stages. But there are certain conditions you must be aware of.

• A night brace alone is only effective if your symptoms are mild or moderate. If they're severe, you must use another treatment simultaneously.
  

• Mild or moderate symptoms should clear up within 30 days with night bracing alone.
  
  
• Do not wear any brace during the daytime. Your wrist tendons are already stressed. Wearing a brace while working (like typing, lifting, or sorting) will force them to do more work to overcome the brace, further stressing them.
  
  
• Instead of drug store braces, use one of the carpal tunnel braces listed below. They're certified by scientists and specialists for specific use with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome stems from inflamed flexor tendons in the wrist. The inflammation causes swelling which exerts pressure on the median nerve. This nerve compression is what causes all of the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The proper stretching exercises lessen inflammation and thus reduce pressure on the median nerve. The amazing fact is that carpal tunnel stretching exercises can reduce or even eliminate severe symptoms. But you have to do the correct exercises to get good results.

Facts about carpal tunnel stretching exercises

• Half of patients have their symptoms severity cut in half by 3 months.
• 93% of patients get "good" or "excellent" results at 8 months.

There are 4 core exercise to eliminate symptoms. The exercises are designed to lubricate tendons and loosen restrictions which cause inflammation. The instructions for these stretching exercises are detailed here. In brief, they are as follows:

There are 4 main non-surgical treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome. They're recommended to patients by doctors and therapists to try before surgery is considered. These treatments are asteroid shots, manual (myofascial release massage) therapy, night bracing, and stretching exercises. If your symptoms are mild or moderate, any one of these treatments should work well, and within a few weeks. But if your symptoms are severe, then you'll need a combination of these remedies.