Pain Reduction Produced by Different Treatments in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Pain Reduction Produced by Physiotherapy, Ibuprofen Arginine, and the Absence of Treatment, in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Pain reduction effects of the median nerve neural mobilization technique (a physiotherapy treatment) will be compared to those produced by a pharmaceutical treatment and the absence of treatment, in subjects who suffer carpal tunnel syndrome.

The present randomized clinical trial will perform a comparison of the pain reduction effects produced by the application of median nerve neural mobilization (non invasive and non pharmaceutical physiotherapy treatment), to the pain reduction effect produced by an oral ibuprofen treatment or the lack of treatment (waiting list control group) in subjects diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. Additionally, effects over the functionality of the affected upper limb will be evaluated and compared. Subjects will be invited to participate and randomly allocated to 3 different groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants must be medically diagnosed with unilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (with confirmative electrodiagnostic findings).
• Full understanding of written and spoken Spanish (language).
• Participants must freely consent to participate.
• The presence of positive Phalen and Tinel signs.
• The presence of carpal tunnel syndrome signs and symptoms

Exclusion Criteria:

• The lack to meet inclusion criterions, the presence of cognitive impairment.

  • Tumors
  • Cancer
  • Upper limb surgery or trauma
  • Pregnancy
  • Deformities of the (affected) upper limb
  • Recent skin injuries or infections (in the affected upper limb)
  • Autoimmune inflammatory conditions or flu type symptoms.
  • Allergy to gabapentin, ibuprofen or ibuprofen arginine
  • Participants must not be (during the present investigation) under any type of pain reducing treatment (conservative, homeopathic, invasive or not invasive).
  • Metabolic neuropathy.
  • Obesity (body mass index over 30).
  • Participants who are not employed.