Can Acupuncture Help Wrist Pain and Carpal Tunnel?
If you’ve ever experienced wrist pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in your hands or fingers, you know how disruptive it can be. These symptoms are often associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, but they can also come from muscle tension, nerve irritation, or overuse.
What many people don’t realize is that acupuncture can be a very effective, non-surgical option for managing these symptoms.
How Acupuncture Helps Wrist and Hand Symptoms
Acupuncture works by improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and calming irritated nerves. For many people, this leads to decreased pain and improved hand function over time.
Research has shown that acupuncture can help:
Reduce wrist and hand pain
Decrease numbness and tingling
Improve grip strength and hand coordination
Calm nerve irritation associated with carpal tunnel syndrome
Because of this, we often recommend trying acupuncture before considering surgery, whenever it’s appropriate.
What Does Treatment Typically Look Like?
While every person is different, a common treatment plan includes:
Acupuncture sessions about twice a week
For 4–6 weeks
Followed by gradually spacing treatments out based on how you’re feeling
Some people notice improvement quickly, while others need a bit more time. The results depend on what’s causing the symptoms and how long they’ve been present.
Can Acupuncture Help You Avoid Surgery?
In some cases — yes.
We’ve seen patients who were able to manage their carpal tunnel symptoms well enough with acupuncture that surgery was no longer necessary 🎉
That said, surgery absolutely has its place. When it’s needed, it can be life-changing. But if you can safely avoid:
Time off work
A lengthy recovery
Scar tissue from healing
…it’s often worth trying a conservative approach first.
What Does the Research Say?
Multiple studies have found that acupuncture can be more effective than standard treatments like anti-inflammatory medications for carpal tunnel symptoms. Research shows improvements not just in how patients feel, but also in nerve function and hand coordination.
In simple terms: acupuncture doesn’t just mask symptoms — it can help improve how the nerve and surrounding tissues are functioning.
Is Acupuncture Right for You?
If you’re dealing with:
Wrist pain
Numbness or tingling in your hands or fingers
Weakness or loss of grip strength
Carpal tunnel symptoms
…acupuncture may be a great option to explore.
The best way to know is to have your symptoms evaluated and talk through your options. If you have questions or would like to see if acupuncture is a good fit for you, schedule an appointment with our doctors — we’re happy to help you find the right next step.