3 Simple Steps to Treat Wrist Pain
What causes wrist pain?
Many activities in our daily lives directly contribute to wrist pain:
- Using computers
- Performing tasks such as cooking and cleaning
- Lifting heavy objects, including children
- Breast feeding
- Repetitive stress injuries
3 simple steps to treat wrist pain
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Anti-inflammatory support
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been successfully treating pain for centuries. While acupuncture needles are tiny, they get huge results. Treatments are relaxing, and many patients describe it as a spa-like experience.
How long will it take? How many times do I need to get acupuncture?
The answer depends:
- How much pain do you have?
- How long you have had the pain?
- What you are doing every day to aggravate the pain?
A typical treatment plan for pain includes acupuncture once or twice weekly for 6 – 12 sessions. Once the pain is better, one might come one or two times per month for maintenance.
If you have insurance coverage for acupuncture, most likely it will cover the treatment of wrist pain.
Other benefits of acupuncture include:
- Stress Relief
- Better Sleep
- Increased Energy
2. Massage
Massage, especially deep tissue massage, can be great for relieving wrist pain. Massage works even better when combined with acupuncture. Getting acupuncture done first loosens things up and makes it easier for the massage therapist to get in and do more deep tissue work to relax the arm muscles.
3. Anti-Inflammatory Support
Are you inflamed?
Pain and inflammation go hand-in-hand. Anti-inflammatory support, including fish oil and turmeric, can be extremely helpful. Another great strategy is to minimize sources of inflammation, including inflammatory foods such as gluten and dairy.
Fish Oil
Full of omega 3 essential fatty acids, fish oil not only reduces inflammation and pain, it is great for your brain and heart health. A standard dose for pain is 2000 mg daily, although one can go much higher. It is important to look for a product that is guaranteed to be free of toxins such as heavy metals. I recommend the brand Metagenics, available online through Fullscript: OmegaGenics® EPA-DHA 720, 3 caps daily.
Turmeric, aka curcumin
Curcumin has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It is prized for treating pain, reducing inflammation, and promoting healthy blood circulation. Like many naturally occurring botanicals, the way in which curcumin is sourced and made into a supplement will significantly impact its effectiveness. I recommend Curcum-Evail from Designs For Health and available on Fullscript: Curcum-Evail®, 3 caps daily.
Please visit our protocol page here to learn more about our recommend vitamins and supplements.
Anti-inflammatory diet
Foods can cause inflammation and pain. The most common inflammatory foods are gluten and dairy. Many people find relief by eliminating just these two foods from their diet. Experimenting with an anti-inflammatory diet for 3 – 4 weeks will determine if there are other foods contributing to your wrist pain. An excellent plan to follow is a Paleo diet. Paleo is a whole foods approach that offers a lot of options, yet avoids the foods that tend to cause inflammation and pain. There are many great resources available if you are new to a paleo diet, including the Whole30, which has books and a website with recipes.
If you have pain in your wrists – or neck, back, hips, knees, or anywhere else – we can help!
Please book an appointment, check your insurance benefits, or give us a call (510-595-1175) if you have more questions. We look forward to helping you soon!
Leslie Oldershaw, L.Ac.
Medical director
Acupuncturist East Bay
510-595-1175
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