Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition caused by median nerve compression as it passes through the wrist. This compression leads to tingling, numbness, and pain in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers.
As a trigger point massage therapist with years of experience treating patients, I have seen how disruptive CTS can be to one’s daily activities.
The good news is that various conservative treatment options can help alleviate symptoms, including trigger point massage.
In this blog post, I will discuss how trigger point therapy works and demonstrate self-care techniques you can perform at home for relief.
Understanding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Tingling, numbness, pain, or aching in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers
- More pain or discomfort at night
- Weak grip or difficulty performing delicate motor tasks
- Burning, electrical-like sensations down the arm
Trigger Point Therapy
- Reduces inflammation and releases tight muscle bands
- Restores proper tissue alignment and length
- Improves mobility of the nerves, tendons, and surrounding muscles
- Boosts circulation to diminish symptoms
- Provides pain relief through the release of endorphins
How Trigger Point Therapy Alleviates Carpal Tunnel Pain?
- Breaks up fibrous muscle adhesions and scar tissue from small tears
- Resolves dysfunctional motor end plates, causing abnormal firing
- Interrupts the pain-tension-pain cycle
- Disperses edema, blood, and lymphatic fluid buildup
- Increases blood flow to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues
- Releases endorphins for natural pain relief

Self-Managed Care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Using self-massage techniques targeted at common trigger points can go a long way in managing carpal tunnel pain and tingling sensations. Here are some of my go-to method, I recommend to clients:
1. Forearm Flexors
These muscles run along the underside of your forearm up to your elbow. Use your opposite thumb, knuckles, or a massage tool to apply downward stroking pressure along the muscle bellies. Hold tender spots for up to 30 seconds until the tissue softens.
2. Forearm Extensors
The extensors run along the top side of your forearm and aid in wrist extension. Use your opposite fingertips to massage across these muscles in a back-and-forth motion. Focus extra time on the thicker, fleshier muscle mass up by the elbow.
3. Median Nerve Glide
Gently glide the median nerve back and forth to encourage mobility through the carpal tunnel. With your affected hand straight out and palm down, bend your wrist gently towards your body and then down towards the ground repeatedly. Repeat for 30-60 seconds at a time. Other helpful stretches and exercises include wrist flexor stretches, finger and wrist mobility drills, nerve flossing, and nerve gliding exercises using hand and arm movements.

Other Protocols I Employ to Treat Carpal Tunnel Pain
- Thorough evaluation of posture, biomechanics, and areas of nerve entrapment
- Manual release of muscles using instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization along the shoulder, arms, wrists, and hands
- Targeted joint manipulation of the cervical spine, shoulder, elbow, and wrist
- Trigger point therapy using sustained thumb, fist, and elbow pressure
- Passive stretching and range of motion exercises
- Recommendations for ergonomic equipment, bracing, and home care
Prevention and Long-Term Management
- Take frequent stretch breaks if you have a desk job or repetitive tasks
- Avoid positions that over-flex the wrist, like typing with wrists extended down
- Use an external keyboard and mouse pad instead of a laptop
- Sleep with a soft wrist brace to keep your wrist slightly extended
- Apply ice or cooling gel packs to help reduce inflammation
- Get a professional massage monthly targeting forearms, wrists, hands and neck
- Perform gentle wrist and finger stretches daily
Are you suffering from pain, tingling hands, and loss of grip strength due to carpal tunnel syndrome?
Schedule a consultation and see how our trigger point therapy can help alleviate your pain.
Get AppointmentThe Final Words
This blog provided an overview of how targeted trigger point massage can effectively reduce CTS nerve and muscle dysfunction for lasting relief. If you’re still suffering from chronic wrist pain, tingling, and numbness despite self-care efforts, I encourage you to reach out.
I work collaboratively to reach the root cause and customize complementary treatments to meet each patient’s needs. I empower my patients with education and tools for self-managed care so they can take an active role in their healing journey with us.

Meet Dr. Craig Eymann, a dedicated chiropractor and yoga enthusiast with over two decades of expertise in spinal health, sports chiropractic, and personalized care, prioritizing misalignment correction for swift injury resolution.
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