carpal tunnel

[Prairie Shepherd]

Any suggestions for alleviating painful, tingling, numb hands and forearms after another long hard day in the lambing barn? Hours each day with a pitchfork have taken their toll suddenly on my aging body. Can’t stop with the work, though have traded down to a smaller pitchfork and lighter loads, but then it’s just more hours with the tool in my hands. Maybe next year I’ll try pasture lambing instead but for now, the sheep and I would be grateful for something to keep the fork steadily moving good things into and waste products out of the barn.

Grateful for any good suggestions!

Linda

[Prairie Shepherd]

Really, no suggestions? I thought at least it would be irresistible to make some puns about “losing your grip” and “getting a hand-le on your issue.”

Seriously, part of the official Rx is long-term use of anti-inflamatories. Don’t want to go the pharma route unless that’s unavoidable. I live in a northern prairie apothecary — yarrow, gumweed, licorice, dandelion, snakeweed, sagebrush, prickly pear, nettle, burdock, yucca, globemallow, prairie coneflower (Ratibida, not Echinacea), and dozens more native and introduced plants — is there something in the landscape just waiting to help if I could only realize it?

I wonder too about the joint or nerve products you’ve developed, Doc. Is there anything there that might be of help?

Thanks for any ideas.

Linda

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

Sorry to be so slow getting back. Crazy time of year for me and I’ve neglected the forum a bit. There are a number of good anti-inflammatory herbs that might be helpful. Most of them are in this formula. That would be the easy button.

You might also try some nervine herbs such as chamomile, skullcap or valerian. A lotion of chamomile and St. John’s Wort might be helpful.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[Prairie Shepherd]

Thanks so much!

In gratitude, Doc, if there’s some northern prairie plant you’d like collected, I’d be glad to give it a try and send you the result. Assuming of course that collecting it doesn’t require a lot of pitchfork work!

Linda

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

Thanks Linda. That’s kind of you.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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