Repetitive motion in the hands and wrists can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful condition marked by inflammation. Typing, sewing, and painting are just a few of the many activities that can lead to swelling in the tendons, wrists, and fingers. For some patients at our Orange County pain clinic, carpal tunnel symptoms will flare up every so often. So today let’s look at carpal tunnel foods to avoid.
Carpal Tunnel Foods to Avoid
When bad flare-ups happen, every little thing can exacerbate the symptoms. There are even certain types of food that can make the pain and swelling worse. On the other hand, some foods can provide natural treatment at home. Take a look at the biggest carpal tunnel foods to avoid – and foods to eat – when experiencing painful symptoms.
Don’t Eat This Food!
In order to understand what kinds of food shouldn’t be eaten with carpal tunnel syndrome, it is first a good idea to understand what exactly causes carpal tunnel in the first place. Repeated actions in the wrists and fingers can start it, but other causes of these symptoms may include:
- Autoimmune disorders
- Predisposition
- Pregnancy
- Rapid weight gain
- Inflammation due to another illness or disease
Carpal tunnel operates around inflammation. Certain foods can reduce or cause inflammation, and it’s important to know which ones to avoid. The following foods should always be avoided.
Trans Fats
Trans fats are refined carbohydrates that can hinder the body’s natural digestive processes. Popcorn, icing, beef, and pork are all high in trans fats and should not be eaten very frequently.
Starches
Some carbs are good, but others are bad. Refined starches and refined sugars, which come from white flour or granules, are very unhealthy for the body. They can assist with inflammation while reducing the number of nutrients your body can absorb. Ice cream, white bread, cookies, and candy are all examples of bad starches.
Salt
Sodium is necessary for your health, but too much salt can put undue pressure on the nerves already under a lot of strain. Packaged foods and premade meals are often high in salt to assist in the preservation, but they can end up causing an overabundance of sodium in your system.
Eat These Healthy Foods!
Just as important as knowing which foods to avoid is knowing which foods can help treat your symptoms. Patients struggling with carpal tunnel flare-ups can invest in certain nutrients and vitamins to reduce swelling. If you are dealing with a particularly bad bout of stiffness or swelling, try the following foods for at-home pain relief:
B6 Foods
B6 is a powerful supplement that can reduce swelling while also increasing your pain threshold. Salmon, soybeans, wheat germ, and poultry are all high in B6. If you don’t eat certain proteins, you can also find B6 in supplement form.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are nature’s antidote to inflammation. A powerful form of pain relief, you can try antioxidants to solve some pain at the moment. Foods like blueberries, red bell peppers, citrus, strawberries, walnuts, salmon, and fatty fish are very high in antioxidants and can alleviate the worst of your carpal tunnel symptoms.
B12
Along with B6, B12 is a vitamin that can reduce nerve damage and also get rid of the pain. You can easily find supplements in the store, or you can eat fresh foods like eggs, tuna, liver, clams, and trout to get a healthy dose of B12.
Improve Your Diet and Your Symptoms Today!
At CRPM, we focus on the most efficient and effective treatments for your chronic pain symptoms. Dealing with carpal tunnel is not a fun experience, especially when subjected to constant flare-ups of inflammation. Get in touch with our experts today to learn about the best carpal tunnel treatment in Orange County.
