Carpal Tunnel

[OUpearlgirl]

I work in a restaurant and today my sole job was to run food to tables (normally I am a sever). About 2 hours into my shift my right hand became completely numb and my wrist hurt.. I told my managers and was sent home. Several hours later my ring, middle, and index fingertips are still tingling.

I went to the Dr.. Carpal Tunnel runs in my family and I have had my entire arm go numb for a day or so. Because it happened at work and my wrist did not hurt before work, he called it a sprain so that the restaurant''s medical insurance will cover it. But, he told me he is 90% certain I have carpal tunnel and if I''m not better in 5 days I should go to an orthopedist. I have a brace and a prescription for an anti inflammatory.

Ok sorry for the novel.. but do any of you have experience with this syndrome? My mom and grandmother both ended up having the surgery. Have any of you overcome it without surgery? Thanks in advance.

 

[sera]

I had it several years ago (repetitive movement and injuries) and after wearing a brace it seemed to go away. Sometimes I would not even be able to turn a door knob or pull off my socks, and the pain extended up my arm. Then, it just went away. Crazy. Now I have a lot of wrist pain, but I think it's arthritis mainly? (Due to past injuries and because my knees are bad I'll use my hands to get up and down, so that's a lot of pressure daily to the wrists).

Also, I have nerve damage and swelling in my left wrist (went through a window!). The swelling/pain feels a lot like carpal tunnel syndrome but I get have constant oversensitivity instead of numbness. The wrist area swells quite a bit... I don't know what exactly is swelling, but maybe the effect is like CTS where the swelling is putting pressure on the nerve. When the swelling is really bad, I take an anti-inflammatory and wear a brace. I try to limit the pressure as much as possible, but the brace really helps. So, definitely follow the dr's order of the brace and anti-inflammatories.

 

[Independent Gal]

Yes, I had it. BAD. Like couldn''t-hold-my-toothbrush or brush my hair on my own bad. It never really went entirely away, and flares up now and then, but I was disabled through most of my Ph.D., which I basically wrote by dictating into voice-activated software because I couldn''t type.

I can type now, but I''m verrrry careful.

Anyway, main things for you to know:

- the brace can be DANGEROUS! You should wear the brace to sleep, but if you wear it while you''re working, you are likely to just transfer the strain to the next joint up and end up with another repetitive strain injury in your elbows (happened to me, and when it did, my physiotherapist told me "DUH!!" and that she sees it alllll the time.

Sleep in the brace. Work without it.

- get physiotherapy. it really, really helped.

- don''t mess around. If it is carpal tunnel, you need to stop doing what you''re doing, or do it differently, because you do not want to end up like I was - basically unable to use my hands for a while. It''s a serious condition.

 

[Pandora II]

I''ve had it a couple of times.

The first two I took ibuprofen which worked not too bad.

The last time I had it injected - no problems since.

My mother has it at the moment very badly (been going on 6 months) and they are going to operate on hers in a few months (love the NHS

).

 

[miraclesrule]

And whatever you do...try to stop the activity or change the way you do engage in the activity that aggravates the condition. Rarely is the surgical intervention of carpal tunnel successful. It''s better to avoid the activities that cause it vs. surgery. Also, hormones play a large part in carpal tunnel. If you are on birth control or pregnant, it will be aggravated. After a pregnancy, it usually resolves itself within a month or two after delivery. Creative change in routine will help dissapate the pain associated with carpal tunnel. Another warning...many times carpal tunnel is a misdiagnosis, which results in the frustrating tendency to continue to experience the symptoms after surgery. A good doctor will rule out thoracic outlet syndrome. I recommend a hand specialist vs. a general orthopedist. It''s important for us women to be able to hold a can of hairspray and brush our hair.

Good Luck, because carpal tunnel is no picnic. Also be sure to evaluate your off work activities. Even though you are being treated through workers'' compensation, it could be something other than tendonitis or overuse syndrome. You want to be sure that you are being diagnosed properly.

With carpal tunnel, a whole lot of vitamin B6 has a very successful rate of reducing the symptoms as well.

 

[diamondfan]

You can help it go away by wearing braces. You have to stop the repetitive movements so it can heal. I thought I had it, had EMG''s and a couple of other tests, where nerve conduction is tested. I also had some spinal and neck MRI''s. I have radiculopathy, which has to do with nerve damage. I was told I do not have carpal tunnel. If those days of rest do not help, I would definitely have those tests done, as they can help pin it down. I was having numbness, tingling, weakness and achiness in my hands, and on one side all the way down my arm.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Thank you for the advice! My hand finally stopped tingling this morning. I''ve been wearing the brace at night which I do think has helped. Work will not allow me to come back until Monday, so I have a week to rest it.