Chamomile Oil vs Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Research Published: Efficacy of topical chamomile oil for mild and moderate carpal tunnel syndrome: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial
Read the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28107852/
Chamomile is a well known plant with small white daisy-like flowers from the Asteraceae family. Matricaria chamomilla and Chamaemelum nobile are two species commonly used today in chamomile teas and other products. Matricaria chamomilla is known as German chamomile and Chamaemelum nobile is known as Roman, English, or garden chamomile.
Some Highlights:
In this study, researchers explored whether chamomile oil applied to the skin could help people with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), a condition causing hand and arm pain and numbness. The researchers tested 86 patients, dividing them into two groups: one received a wrist splint and chamomile oil, while the other received a wrist splint and a placebo (a substance with no therapeutic effect) for 4 weeks.
At the beginning and end of the study, they measured the patients' hand strength, hand function, severity of symptoms, and conducted nerve tests. The results showed that the group using chamomile oil had significant improvements in hand strength, functionality, and symptom severity. Also, the nerve test results improved, indicating better nerve function in the chamomile oil group compared to the placebo group.
Researchers concluded that using chamomile oil along with standard treatments like a wrist splint might be helpful for people with mild to moderate CTS. It seemed to help both in how patients felt and in objective measures of hand and nerve function.
By H. Zell - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9482794
