Carpul Tunnel Syndrome...

[transparant]

Do any of you have it? I've been getting numbness in both of my hands at night. It feels like I wake up and have to shake them out to get the tingling to go away. Now I'm starting with wrist pain.

I'm going to make a Dr. Appt. to get an official diagnosis of Carpul TUnnel...but what do all of you do to relieve your symptoms? The numbness really gets on my nerves (pun intended LOL)

 

[DisneyPhD]

I am not sure, I had some questions about it a while ago. It seems ok if I don't type or sign too much (I know ASL, American sign language.) I had problems when I was interpreting a while ago.

I am considering going back to work as an interpreter and I am little concerned if I do too much I might not be able to continue.

Just subscribing to see what others say.

 

[Pooh67_68]

Sure sounds like that's what you have.

Mine was bad enough in my right hand (started to drop things. Saw my hand wrap around a glass, went to pick it up only to have if fall, because I couldn't feel it.) they did surgery, I don't recommend surgery as it really didn't help.

For my left they gave me therapy to do, and said eventually I would need surgery on it too, but I refuse to have surgery again.

 

[transparant]

Do the wrist braces at night really seem to help? I keep hearing that I should get some good wrist braces so that I don't bend my wrists at night.

 

[Pooh67_68]

Do the wrist braces at night really seem to help? I keep hearing that I should get some good wrist braces so that I don't bend my wrists at night.

I wore them and they helped for a while, but after so long they also made my hands go numb.

 

[Pooh67_68]

Also want to say, my cousin had both hands operated on at the same time. She still has problems some times, but not as bad as me.

We had different doctors, so maybe mind didn't do it right.

 

[pumba]

last year I had some therapy and that worked and so did the wrist braces that I wear at night. I tend to have my hands curl up when I am sleeping so this keeps them in the out position. Only problem I had with the braces was the velcro caught on the bedding and made that noise when we got it off and the dog would attack me ......of course I am laughing now......I also have cupital of the elbow problems too.......keep your hands from being on the sides of chairs or in the vehicles.......that is another no no....

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Have you figured out if there is a repetitive task you do that is causing the carpal tunnel syndrome?

I was getting this when I was keyboarding a lot while sitting in an old chair with long arms (the chair, not me!) that didn't allow me to get close enough to the keyboard. When I corrected the ergonomics, the pain went away.

Night splints help some people, just don't try wearing the splints during the day--you can end up "fighting" the splints to bend your wrists and make your symptoms worse.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

My carpal tunnel was terrible. I ended up on prednisone to relieve the symptoms while waiting to have surgery. I wouldn't recommend prednisone to my worst enemy though...miserable stuff. I had the surgery two weeks ago yesterday. My hand was completely numb for the first 36 hours after surgery and when the numby stuff wore off there simply was no pain and I could feel my finger tips for the first time in years! It was so friggin' easy I'd do it again tomorrow! I am so incredibly happy with the results there are simply no words to express it. My doctor did say that in about ten percent of people who has the symptoms of CTS the surgery won't work well...that those ten percent have tendonitis or some other reason for the numbness.

Anyway, most doctors don't recommend surgery until the problems are preventing you from doing the things you need to do OR if it is so bothersome you just don't want to live with the symptoms anymore. If you want to try to delay surgery, you could buy wrist braces to wear at night. They help some people though I didn't feel they helped me that much at all. They actually seemed to make my problems worse. My mother also has carpal tunnel and they help her a LOT.

I personally would recommend the surgery to anybody who is bothered with CT. You'll be back to 95% of your activities within a week...no kidding. The only thing that restricted me from typing the first week was the large bulky brace they put on me! I hated that thing! But other than that it was just so easy and the relief from the pain has made me SO happy! No more dropping things all the time. No more burning pain in my arm. And I love feeling my finger tips again. I hadn't realized how bad it had become until I got it fixed...it happened so gradually over the years that I just didn't notice until it really started preventing me from living normally. I wish I had fixed this years ago!

Anyway, good luck to you! I'm sure your doctor will be able to give you some answers. Let us know what happens!

 

[disneygirlatheart]

I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel about 5 years ago. Numbness, knots in my hands, dropping stuff all the time. Still do. As a matter of fact tonight I dropped my favorite dish and it shattered in a million pieces. Oh well, on to my remedy. I know this may sound silly and my dh tells me it is in my head. About 2 years ago, I was at a traders mall and a woman was there with the magnetic bracelets, necklaces, shoe inserts, etc. Well I was skeptical, but she convinced me with her money back guarntee. I have been wearing them ever since. I still drop things all the time, still have knots in my hands, but no numbness or pain whatsoever. Just an idea, it may not work for everyone, but for me it has been a surgery-saver.

 

[C.Ann]

I had CT in both hands.. Started with the numbness and dropping things.. Eventually caused such severe pain in the middle if the night I was tempted to find an axe and chop both hands off.. It was so severe they actually put me on a narcotic pain reliever.. I had surgery on my left hand first (I'm left handed) and then my right hand 5 months later.. I had IMMEDIATE relief.. However, because I waited too long to have the initial surgery done on my left hand, by the time I had it done I already had permanent damage (can't manage buttons with that hand or do some other fine motor movement)..

What many people don't realize about CT is that if you have it and it continues to progress you can end up with permanent damage that is not reversible.. One of the male patients that used to come into the internal med doctors office that I worked in was a gardener and ignored his symptoms for years.. By the time he went and had the tests done he had permanently lost 90% use of one hand and 60% use of the other..

I was very satisfied with the results of the surgery and although there's a small chance it could come back again sometime in the future, I would not hesitate having the surgery a second time as opposed to ending up with permanent damage again ....

 

[momrek06]

OH MAN...this THREAD...I have been wanting to ask about CT for some time NOW.

My left hand is really bothering me. I do not what it is, whether it is simply arthiritis or CT.

How do you TEST for CT? Is that when you go for a bone density test. I am 52yo and some days the pain is horrible and then I have days and days where I do not think about it at all...nothing....so weird.

My pain is right around my wrist area. I have trouble carrying the laundry up and down the stairs and bringing in the groceries. Despite being right handed, I do use my left hand allot and that is the hand that bothers me the most. NOTHING at all going on with the RIGHT hand.

What type of MD do you go to? What would be the best time of year to have the surgery IF needed?
THANKS FOR THE REPLIES!

 

[C.Ann]

OH MAN...this THREAD...I have been wanting to ask about CT for some time NOW.

My left hand is really bothering me. I do not what it is, whether it is simply arthiritis or CT.

How do you TEST for CT? Is that when you go for a bone density test. I am 52yo and some days the pain is horrible and then I have days and days where I do not think about it at all...nothing....so weird.

My pain is right around my wrist area. I have trouble carrying the laundry up and down the stairs and bringing in the groceries. Despite being right handed, I do use my left hand allot and that is the hand that bothers me the most. NOTHING at all going on with the RIGHT hand.

What type of MD do you go to? What would be the best time of year to have the surgery IF needed?
THANKS FOR THE REPLIES!

-----------------------------------

Shoot - I can't remeber the name of the test - could be a nerve conduction - but it's gone right out of my head..

Start with your MD.. Tell him your symptoms and he can arrange for the proper tests.. If it's CT, you'll want to see the best ortho surgeon available in your area..

As to when to have the surgery, you need to think of what types of things you need to do while recovering.. You would be amazed at the things you need to do with "two" hands that you never give a second thought to.. Just for the heck of it, tomorrow try to do everything with one hand - as though you had already had surgery and were recuperating.. Try pulling your pants up - writing - using a can opener - ironing - etc.. You'll be VERY surprised!

If you have no numbness or dropping of things, you may be lucky and just suffering from arthritis instead.. See your MD - but don't put it off too long..

 

[ZachnElli]

My mom has CTS, she had surgery on her right hand 7 years ago. She went through several years of therapy, medicines, the wrist braces, nothing worked. The surgery did help, but she refused to do the left hand. I don't know why. But her right hand was really bad and she only agreed to surgery because she was afraid she was going to drop her newborn granddaughter (my dd). She is in IT for work, so at a computer keyboard all day for the last 31 years. I would imagine that the surgery is even better today.

 

[Disney-Kim]

I have been having some problems with my left hand this week and was going to research CT...so I am glad to have found this thread.

I am having pain in my left hand...the thumb and pointer finger area up and up around my wrist. Its an achey weird pain. I can not grip things without pain and the pain goes up my arm to my shoulder sometimes. I don't have numbness, just pain. and I drop things...not always...but my grip is pathetic. has been for years. Now its worse.

I do type at work, but use my right hand for the mouse/10 key, not my left.

I have found that it hurts to pick up things, pull things, push things, grip things...anything with the left hand. (you know opening a door, buttoning your pants, opening things.....typing isn't too bad...

since I don't have numbness...does this lean to something else?
I have had the symptoms here and there for a while...but now I have had the pain for a week straight....just deciding if I need to go to Dr.

what were your symptoms at first of CT? could this be arthritis? I am only 39??

 

[hiwaygal]

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a real pain!!

I have/had it in both hands. I had the surgery on my right hand nearly 2 years ago. If I had it to do all over again, I would have the surgery in a heartbeat!! I have NO problems in that hand now. My left hand...well, that's another story. I have been contemplating surgery for the left hand, but it isn't nearly as bad as the right was, so I'm delaying it for awhile. I don't use that hand as much.

Here's an interesting link: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/carpal_tunnel/detail_carpal_tunnel.htm

Wearing a splint at night is one of THE best ways to get some relief. It takes some getting used to, but it does help. It doesn't happen overnight though. I would suggest wearing a splint 24 hours a day (or as much as possible) for about 2 weeks (give the swelling in the area a chance to go down) then wear the brace at night for at least 6 weeks (maybe indefinitely).

There are other things you can do...

Drink lots of water. Pregnant women sometimes get "temporary" CTS because of water retention/swelling. This will help some, but not necessarily take care of all the problem.

I have heard vitamin B6 works wonders...and I've also heard licorice root has helped some folks. The B6 you can take while pregnant (but check with your doc to be sure) but the licorice root should NOT be taken if you are pregnant or nursing.

Therapy CAN help, but the first step is really to let the swelling go down. This can take a couple of weeks.

Also, your doc may check your thyroid levels. CTS is a symptom of Hypothyroidism. Initially, when I went to the doc for CTS he checked my thyroid. And we discovered I am hypothyroid. Taking the meds really helped my left hand (two years ago).

Ergonomic work stations (for computer users) and ergonomic tools around the house can also help ease the pain. Even some things for arthritis sufferers (like bigger handles on can openers, etc.) can help with CTS too.

The "definitive" test for CTS is an EMG nerve conduction test. It does involve needles, but it's not too bad. It feels weird, and afterwards your arm will kinda hurt worse for a day or two. But, as C.Ann said, if you don't get some treatment, there can be permanent nerve damage.

Now, I'm not a doctor...but having talked extensively to my doctors and knowing what has worked for me and lots of other folks (I co-host a Carpal Tunnel message board) I've learned ALOT over the past two years. If you have any questions about the tests, or vitamins, treatments, splints, or anything else, I can provide you with lots of links to information!

Hope that helps!

 

[Poohnatic]

In among all the problems with my wrists, the last thing to have surgery for was Carpal Tunnel. I had the dropsies, pain and tingling almost constantly.


Thumb motion, pressure on the carpal nerve near the elbow and pressure on the carpal nerve at the bottom are the most common causes of the numbness. A lot of nursing moms seem to get it from their baby resting their head on mom's arm by the elbow. Mine was horrible in the morning, because the only way I fall asleep is with my hands under my cheek.

To test for it, my doctor just pressure on the underside of my arm, about 2 inches above the wrist. He then asked to indicate what I felt. Five seconds until the pinkie was numb, and in 30 seconds, we had 3 fingers numb.

Medicine didn't work (but we knew it wouldn't, since this doctor had done several other surgeries for me), so surgery was decided upon rather quickly

I had an excellent doctor. Some may recall that if I ever need more wrist surgery, I've said I'm flying back to Maryland for it! Surgery was in '01, and you can't tell I had the surgery. I have to search for the scar (3/4" incision in my palm). My sister had the same surgery a year earlier and she's got a 4" scar on the underside of her forearm.

I had therapy afterwards and was given a splint by the therapist that worked wonders. I ended up buying one for my other hand, because I still had pain from a prior injury in that hand.

This is the splint I have (mine is black):

This is a neoprene support without that metal 'spoon' in it. You still can do almost anything (perhaps even signing) while it supports the thumb. What's funny is that my ortho had never seen this type before, I gave him the paperwork that came with the one I'd ordered myself and then he bought a bunch to have on hand for his other patients.

Good luck. I used to have a lot of problems with this and the other issues. Moving to Florida has been a huge help for me. No pain from the cold anymore.

Suzanne

 

[chyam]

Do the wrist braces at night really seem to help? I keep hearing that I should get some good wrist braces so that I don't bend my wrists at night.

Oh how I can relate.........I had even self diagnosed myself as having MS!!! Went to the doctor, he suggested the wrist braces and quite honestly they have worked for me, I even wear them at work when I am doing alot of hand work, I can't say all the numbness is gone it does come and go but nothing like I had before the braces, they were the 1 st option for me, then therapy and lastly surgery but I have never heard to much good coming from the surgery. At least try the braces at night I am almost certain that it will give you some relief, the doctor also suggested ibuprofen.