Diet and lifestyle

Good diet is very important so include plenty of fresh and raw vegetables, grains and fruit. Drink several glasses of filtered water daily.

Include plenty of B vitamins in your diet, especially B6 as this is important in nerve functioning and preventing inflammation. Foods rich in these include bananas, spinach, sweet peppers, garlic, tuna, cod, cauliflowers, mustard and turnip greens, celery, cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, watermelon, turkey, prunes, molasses and chard. Your diet should be based on fresh whole grains, fruit, veg and nuts and seeds.

Have a bowl of home mixed muesli for breakfast including grains, dried fruits, some nuts and seeds and include some crushed or ground linseeds which are good against inflammation.

Eat a small bowl of fresh pineapple and/or papaya each day as they both contain an enzyme called bromelain which is very good at reducing inflammation anywhere in the body, whatever the cause. If you can't use fresh, then the tinned fruit that does not have anything added to it will do.

Avoid salt and foods containing it as this causes tissues to retain water which can press on to the median nerve.

Avoid all processed and junk foods and anything with hydrogenated fats or oils as these pre-dispose the body to inflammatory states.

Cut right down on caffeinated drinks, alcohol and smoking.

Use chilli and ginger in your cooking to increase circulation and reduce pain and swelling.

Turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory so use in cooking or add a half teaspoon of the powder to herbal teas or warm milk.