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End Your Carpal Tunnel
Pain Without Surgery
Reviewed by
Jacqueline N. Brian, LDH, MS, Professor, Dental Hygiene at Indiana
University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Carpal
tunnel syndrome (CTS) affects
two-thirds of the workforce, predominately women.
This soft-bound text provides valuable information on how to listen
to one’s body and accurately assess symptoms of tendonitis before it
advances to CTS. The emphasis is on prevention—not on a cure for carpal
tunnel syndrome—by stressing the use of correct body mechanics, posture,
and maintenance techniques. To help the reader visualize and understand
the techniques, more than 140 illustrations are included.
The author gives readers a practical guide for using a four-part
ergonomics program; a pain-free work environment with proper equipment;
body maintenance pro-grams of chiropractics, muscle therapy, and
acupressure or acupuncture; a daily self-care program that includes muscle
therapy and self-alignment; and confronting insurance carriers to gain
payment for these therapies.
The first two
chapters review the signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel problems—how to
diagnose CTS using simple at-home tests, and specific conditions that can
be mistaken for CTS, such as bursitis and tendonitis.
Chapters 3 and 4
emphasize the Montgomery Method, which the author designed, as an
alternative therapy to prevent and treat repetitive strain injuries to the
arm, wrist, and hand. This method is a 12-step, practical program of
self-correction to align joints. The corrective techniques show how to
improve grip The Journal of Dental Hygiene strength; relieve muscle
tension in the neck, back, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, and hands; and
increase flexibility and mobility using upper body stretches. The last
step describes three corrective muscle-therapy techniques to strengthen
muscles and restore them to health. The remaining chapters provide directions for using
acupressure to relieve pain and muscle soreness.
Specific detail is given to ergonomics in the work setting.
Dynamic
and extremely informative, this text has a wide range of applications and
audiences—from students to practitioners. Educators will find this text
an invaluable reference as they teach students the basic principles of
body posture and hand positioning. Since attending one of the author’s
courses, I have included the Montgomery Method in my daily routine and as
a definitive reference on CTS health maintenance and healing. Every person
in the workforce would benefit from including this guide on the must-read
list.
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