Braces, anti-inflammatory medicines, compression gloves, wraps and many referrals later, I felt as though I was left to fend for myself.  I've dubbed my family doctor a Refer-ologist. My insurance does not require referrals, but I didn't want to self-diagnose and stab at possible solutions only to waste more time.  I am strong believer in seeing a "primary care physician" whether it's required or not. Developing a single point of contact and relationship with a doctor is critical.

In the meantime, I've done a lot of research about carpal tunnel as well as ergonomics. Since I'm on the computer pretty much when I'm awake, I wanted to be sure my office settings, both at my work outside of the home job and my home office (for personal use and blogging), were ideal.

Ergonomic Resources

Unfortunately, I've reached the point where pro-activity is a moot point. I can still observe some of the practices to prevent my discomfort from increasing.

Since no doctor I've seen thus far has offered any prescription medications to relieve the discomfort, other than Naproxen and the tools offered thus far have provided very little relief, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Is there Relief in Sight?

I stumbled upon King Brand Healthcare Products Limited. After reading through their site at length and contacting them, they agreed to allow me to review their product in exchange for an honest opinion.  King Brand offers Orthopedic medical devices for the treatment of soft tissue injury and disease.

As a sufferer of Carpal Tunnel, it's important for me to get the word out about prevention and treatment, specifically since I'm surrounded by bloggers. I NEVER thought I would get carpal tunnel. I type all the time and have been for nearly two decades. Apparently, everybody has a threshold.

While carpal tunnel is most often associated with typing (as a myth), it can also result from general overuse of the wrists, including sports injuries. Overuse is also referred to as an RSI or repetitive strain injury. With all the advancements in technology, repetitive strain injuries are associated with anything from carrying large loads of groceries to gaming to usage of your cell phone or sports related injuries.  Even your child can get Carpal Tunnel or similar syndromes these days.

Enter King Brand and BFST

I was most interested in the fact that King Brand is FDA registered. Of course, I was LURED in by the statements that their BFST products for carpal tunnel offer accelerated healing. That is exactly what I was looking for, especially since my subsequent specialist appointments are so far out.

BFST stands for Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy. Where rest & relaxation or even bed rest were common solutions back in the day, King Brand hit the nail on the head recognizing that many suffering from repetitive strain injuries just don't have the time for that. Modern medicine supports more rapid recovery through increased circulation or blood flow.


When I received my BFST wrap and read the instructions and warnings (about when NOT to use it), I decided it was okay to use immediately. The timing could not have been more perfect. It was a Friday evening after work.

I placed the wrap around my right hand on level 1 of 3. The wrap is specifically designed for the shape of the wrist. It's velcro straps allow for a fit on almost any hand. King Brand cites a "guaranteed fit", but I'm sure there is someone out there with really small or really large hands. I'm all about the disclaimers.

The BFST wrap was very easy to apply. When I turned the device on, the treatment lasted for 20 minutes and automatically shut-off afterwards. I removed the wrap and I kid you not, I nearly teared up when I removed it from my right wrist after the first treatment. My wrist felt SOOTHED, relaxed and I had already begun to feel discomfort relief, much more than any anti-inflammatory or OTC or RX medicine could offer.



I wanted to share my thoughts about King Brand's BFST wrap right away. I know better than that. I switched sides on applied the BFST wrap to my right wrist. The same feeling of awe overcame me when the treatment was over and the wrap was removed.

From there, I decided to take the wrap to work for use during breaks and lunches, rotating sides. If your work environment is not extremely cool, you may want to have a fan handy.  I also use the wrap in the evening and first thing in the morning.

I've used the wrap for almost a month now.  With a minimum of two treatments per side per day, I feel as though I'm making progress towards recovery.  My ability to resume normal function at my day job and as a blogger seems to have increased tenfold.

In all honesty, I played the Devil's advocate and wondered to myself why a heating pad wouldn't offer the same relief? Again, the fit of the BFST wrap by King Brand is extremely important.  No heating pad can offer the same custom fit for your wrist.  In addition, the compression offered by the fit of the wrap, combined with the soothing heat is invaluable.  Even after a treatment is complete, I sometimes leave the wrap on for its compression value.

IMPORTANT!!! 

It's NOT a heating pad.

I received the following from King Brand:

PS. Just caught the mention of heating pad on your post. The BFST does not actually product heat as a form of therapy. 20% of the heat is due to the fact that the wrap after all is an electronic device; the majority of the heat is actually being produced from your body as a reaction to the increased blood flow.

The reason why we have 3 levels on the controller is because it offers 3 levels of blood flow intensity. Similarly to running, the first week you run that 5 km you feel flushed and super hot, after the first week or two, you're running the same distance with less heat because your body has adapted to it. So you increase your mileage and speed which again leaves you feeling flushed and hot- that's what the increase in levels of BFST treatment can be comparable to. The device uses electromagnetic energy produced from electricity to increase blood flow which makes your body warm up.

- Carolyn

In the last week, I've upgraded the heat setting from a level 1 to a level 2, only sometimes.  I've been very pleased with the treatments at level 1.  I use level 2 infrequently when the discomfort flares more than usual.  The wrap is so easy to use that I can switch it out while 1/2 asleep during my hour-long snooze button fest each morning.  For me the morning is the best time to use the BFST wrap.  It wakes my wrists and my fingers up, leaving them less stiff and less numb.

Whether you're suffering from Carpal Tunnel or if your wrists are constantly exposed to the triggers of carpal tunnel, I highly recommend investing in a BFST wrap for relief as well as prevention.  Honestly, if I had discovered the BFST wrap long ago, knowing that someday I could get Carpal Tunnel, I would have invested in the product as a preventive measure.  I would have considered it a spa day for my overworked hands, except it's only a one time payment to take care of yourself.

Of course, I adapted the "it won't happen to me approach" and for that I'm truly sorry.  Carpal Tunnel is a painful, debilitating syndrome.  When combined with possible autoimmune disorders or deficiencies, it's even worse.


Working with King Brand has been amazing! They truly do care.  I received a personalized card from them in the mail about my treatment, not to mention the fact that Carolyn read my post and wanted to ensure I didn't misrepresent the product.  You see, I'm not just reviewing a product here.  I'm promoting a cause and a product that I believe will help others!