Carpal Tunnel and Essential Oils

Yesterday I thought I was going to do a straight-through series of blogs about aspects of infertility, but I will defer that for a day since a good friend of mine is talking about the pain in the wrist of tenosynovitis-- more commonly known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I want to give her some ideas on how to deal with that using the most pleasant of all interventions (therapeutic-grade essential oils) along with other non-invasive aids to pain management and healing.

Here is a video about 'carpal tunnel release' done surgically. You may want to think seriously at some less invasive techniques for the release (as below with essential oils, icing, and NOT overdoing all the fine motor work without doing compensating exercises and resting properly "on purpose").

 
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of several conditions that result from repetition of a pattern of movements. Other examples of this Repetitive Strain Syndrome are 'tennis elbow', 'writer's cramp' and the ganglion cysts that develop on the wrists of computer keyboardists who leave their computer at work and then spend hours at home on Facebook, et al. In general, people who use their wrists a lot (carpenters, typists, super-nerds, pianists, painters, knitters)are prone to develop tenosynovitis.

A good diagnosis is important for treatment.

Tenosynovitis is an inflammation of the fibrous sheaths that are wrapped around the tendons of the ankles and wrists. With the inflammation there is often a spectrum of related symptoms:

immediate acute pain and a dull ache that can travel up the forearms or legs

grinding and cracking noises

numbness

tingling

crampy stiffness

increasing weakness

sometimes, swelling

The ergonomic folks (usually people you work with who have taken a course with Occupational Health and Safety) have a whole list of recommendations. It's a good idea to use the furniture and assorted appliances properly when you have them-- don't slump or let your wrists flag (clue: if your wrists are tired and if your hands are cramped, what does that tell you?). Take breaks in your activities if they are repetitive. Those are the commonsense suggestions from people familiar with this condition.

Some Ideas of How To Deal With The Pain:

On the internet I see three other common suggestions for carpal tunnel sufferers. I have added my own spin:

(1)Take painkillers, both over-the-counter and prescribed. (I don't do this myself and have trouble recommending it... this is stuff that other people suggest for pain management... standard dealing with the symptoms and ignoring the effects of the drugs used to deal with the symptoms.  But this is your body and your decision.)

(2)Surgery. (My very last choice... but I'll let you do your own research and decision-making around this most invasive method of dealing with wrist pain and inflammation).

(3)Ice the area and stay away from the aggravating activity until there is no more pain. (My notes: ice the area by freezing water in a styrofoam cup and peeling it back to expose about an inch or two of ice. Holding the cup, rub the ice in small circles over the affected area continuously for exactly seven (7) minutes. Don't pause (can cause freezer burn). Reddening means that there is increased blood circulation, which means healing is taking place. After icing, use a warm damp cloth (a washcloth) and gently begin to warm the area a little. Massage lightly with any of the essential oils and blends as listed below. Take a break of a day or two and just ice on a regular basis (maybe every three hours or so) until the pain has disappeared or diminished entirely). Think of ways to vary your activities so that you will not re-afflict your wrists. Acupuncture and similar "energy" therapies are often successfully used either separately, or in conjunction with other treatment. 

(4)The strong 'silk worm enzyme' serrapeptase
 has been shown in some published studies to be effective in pain management and healing related to repetitive strain (carpal tunnel).

(5)These are essential oils that should be in your Repetitive Strain First Aid kit if you are someone who works using their wrists a great deal:

Chamomile (Roman) 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil- 5 ml

• Peppermint 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil- 5 ml


• Lavender 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil- 5 ml


• Eucalyptus 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil- 5 ml

Massage daily with: 10 drops each of: Peppermint, Lavender, and Eucalyptus Essential Oils diluted in 2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil or a good nut oil.

To further decrease the inflammation, it is a good idea to pursue an alkaline-maintenance lifestyle. Many foods (particularly sugar, grains, and animal products)up the acidity of your system, which creates more inflammation. Eat more fresh, organic, ripe, raw fruits and vegetables and tender greens. Green Smoothies are a good tip for eliminating inflammation and building health!

Information about application and formulas for essential oil therapy is taken from The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood.

Essentially, A Fertility Issue

I'm not sure if I have ever come across any deeper, more profound a disappointment than that expressed by adults who are unable to conceive a child.

Today, of course, there are any number of "interventions" to make conception possible. I'm happy to hear that, but I know that many women and men want to have an experience that is as natural as possible (i.e., artificial insemination and/or surrogate pregnancy, etc. is not generally a first choice). For that reason, when it is determined that there is some impediment to conception, many couples consider--at least initially--less invasive alternative or complementary strategies in lieu of the pharmaceutical and/or surgical options.

Essential Oils Can Help Clear The Way

Infertility is on the increase for a lot of different reasons. Determining who is infertile and why can mean umpteen trips to doctors and specialists, and many pretty invasive tests and procedures. While essential oils can not claim to help with 'structural' problems, they can help to clear up specific diseases that prevent pregnancy from taking place. Stay tuned over the next few blogs--I will be looking at some of these particular conditions and the essential oil possibilities in correcting them so that conception might take place.*

Can Essential Oils Help If Infertility is a "Hormonal Issue"?
Good news-- essential oils contain phytohormones which are similar to human hormones and act like tiny chemical messengers. Marcel Lavabre writes in The Aromatherapy Workbook that essential oils contain vitamins, hormones, antibiotics and/or antiseptics! In The International Journal of Aromatherapy, pharmacologist Tony Balacs states that essential oil constituents may have hormone-like activity. When their structure is similar enough to the hormone, they will interact with the same receptor as the human hormone. Aromatherapist Robert Tisserand explains, for example, that essential oils such as Coriander, Cypress and Fennel stimulate estrogen production.**

In Europe, Dr. Jean Valnet pioneered 'phytotherapy', or the medicinal use of essential oils. He found that essential oils amp up the function and health of the glands that produce the hormones. Of the hormones involved in conception, there are a number of plant hormones that imitate them. I personally have known of people who bathed in Geranium essential oil or used Clary Sage essential oil and became pregnant in spite of great odds against such a "miracle" occurring.

If the woman in the couple is infertile, she can try the following oils:

Geranium

Clary-sage

Thyme

Nutmeg

Cypress

Coriander

Fennel

Chamomile Roman

Start using the above on the last day of your period.

Use 6-8 drops of a single oil, or combine an equally-proportioned formula (drop for drop) of your favourite oils above, and use 6-8 drops.

Add 6-8 drops (above) to 1/4 C. epsom salts, mix, and run under warm bath water. Bathe daily.

Massage 5 drops of essential oil to 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil (virgin coconut oil or nut oils are good)over the whole abdomen, hips, across the lower back, and into the butt crease without going as far as the anus or the genitals. Do not forget the lower back because that is where you find the nerves that connect with uterus and ovaries.

Men who are infertile can use the same oils, and apply or bathe as above. Continue daily for about three months.

I Am Soooo Stressed About This Infertility Thing...

Anxiety certainly hasn't been shown to result in pregnancy. We have all heard of couples who have adopted, only to become pregnant after the pressure is off!

Essential oils are most famous for their pleasant aromatic qualities, their lovely, uplifting, de-stressing scents. If you think that stress is the "big deterrent" to your conceiving, merely combine 3 drops of Clary-sage and 3 of Geranium added to the 1/4 C. of Epsom salts in your bath. Diffuse these lovely scents in your home, particularly the bedroom.

Anything Else?

Look after yourself, support your partner in good health and harmony. Give up smoking. Eat lots of leafy greens and cut out the bad stuff (you know). Google for other information about alternative infertility treatment.

But never underestimate the power of those tiny little molecules!

This blog is dedicated to exploring the benefits of using only high quality, pure essential oils that are grown organically or selectively wildcrafted, distilled in a manner that does not use solvents or other harsh chemicals, tested in independent labs to maintain the standards of Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization).

Frankly, I would be extremely wary of using most essential oils and other substances-- particularly pharmaceutical drugs-- in the delicate application of treating reproductive problems. "Cheap" essential oils are often the product of rapid, chemical distillation of inferior plants with solvents, rendering them ineffectual at best and very dangerous at worst. On the other hand, organic, therapeutic grade essential oils, when properly used, do not remain in the body, leave no toxins behind, and offer a potent, convenient, practical, pleasant solution. 

* Information about application and formulas for essential oil therapy is taken from The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood.
**Adapted from Laboratory of Flowers site.

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