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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
I have been a GP for over 20 years and have had many patients suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome for which an operation or injection is indicated. Many of my patients are reluctant to do either. Do you have any alternative suggestions? I sometimes suggest they use a temporary splint for relief but I would value your opinion.
Craig Wright, a homeopath who practices at Farmacia (020-7831-0830), did a five-year training for a Masters degree in South Africa and completed a course which included a three-year basic medical training, including anatomy and dissection.
He says, if all other possible underlying cases of this condition, including rheumatoid arthritis, hormonal problems and hypothyroidism, have been ruled out, then your patients should be encouraged to look at both nutritional and homeopathic solutions.
Although nobody can really explain why, vitamin B6 or Pyridoxine, which helps prevent nerve disorders, has been found to be helpful in treating this complaint. The recommended dosage is between 100-200mg a day, but since all the B vitamins work synergistically together (i.e. they enhance each other’s action in the body), the secret is to take a good B vitamin complex and an additional B6 supplement to make up the required dose.
Bromelain, an enzyme derived from fresh pineapple, is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. It prevents inflammation by producing a compound called plasmin, a substance that plays a key role in breaking down fibrinogen which, in turn, is involved in localized swelling.
Homeopathy is always most effective, explains Wright, when you have what is called a constitutional diagnosis to determine the right remedy for you. This is the best step when the complaint is chronic. That said, you can still treat the acute symptoms with some of the more well-known homeopathic remedies.
If, for example, the condition is the result of an injury, he recommends Arnica in a 30c potency. If, as is usually the case, it is the result of over-use and is, in effect, a repetitve strain injury, then Ruta graveolens (6c) is the remedy, especially if there is an accompanying stiffness. Wright, who knows this will upset purists who believe homeopathy should only ever be used on its own, suggests acupuncture would work well alongside these remedies.