Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

D

Dennis_in_VA

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Jan 24, 2007
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#1
Well, I have been diagnosed with sever Carpal Tunnel in my left hand.

My thumb, index, middle and one side of my ring finger have been numb (like having been shot up with novocaine) since April.

Looks like surgery is in my near future.

Let me hear about your experiences and questions that you wished you had asked.

Thanks.

Dennis
 
#2
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

I had a good Doc. going in and it was done Nov. last year, nothing to it. Be sure you get quality P/T after, and all well be well.
 
#4
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

I wish that's all there was to it.
whistle.gif


But yeah, you're funny
grin.gif


I was expecting this from at least one of y'all.

Taking it in stride though
cool.gif


but back to the serious side...

Have any of you had a cortisone shot to help the CTS?

I can't do the surgery thing right now.
 
#5
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

I've had multiple tests done to see why numbness occurs in my right hand...

It turned out I actually damaged the Brachial Plexus (lateral, medial, and posterior)...

Never had CTS, but I feel you pain <pun there>

There is a new surgery method that is less invasive.
Here's a link to it.

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/car...tunnel-syndrome

Good Luck...
 
#6
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

I never had any pain what so ever.

I was working on some small aluminum parts one day and the next day my fingers were numb in my left hand.

I waited a couple weeks to see if the symptoms would go away. No such luck.

So I went to the orthopedic doctor and he set me up with a nerve conductivity test.

That was not too pleasant getting a mild taste of being tasered in my hands and arms.

I am right handed so I can't figure out why all this BS happened
 
#7
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wil</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've had multiple tests done to see why numbness occurs in my right hand...

It turned out I actually damaged the Brachial Plexus (lateral, medial, and posterior)...

Never had CTS, but I feel you pain <pun there>

There is a new surgery method that is less invasive.
Here's a link to it.

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/car...tunnel-syndrome

Good Luck... </div></div>

So did you have this procedure done on your wrist?

How long ago?

How long was the recovery?

How much PT? No, not DI-PT.
 
#9
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

Have a care with two things: #1...waiting too long. The numbness is caused by pressure on the nerves...if you wait too long for relief by surgery, the damage can be permanent. #2: I'd avoid the procedure that is done through the fiber optic route...they played around with it here in Hattiesburg, but abandoned it because of too many permanent nerve injuries from the limited ability to visualize inside the tendon sheath. The open procedure is relatively minor and safe. Get a plastic surgeon to do it, and you should have an almost invisible 3/4 inch long scar. JMHO
 
#10
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wil</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've had multiple tests done to see why numbness occurs in my right hand...

It turned out I actually damaged the Brachial Plexus (lateral, medial, and posterior)...

Never had CTS, but I feel you pain <pun there>

There is a new surgery method that is less invasive.
Here's a link to it.

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/car...tunnel-syndrome

Good Luck... </div></div>

I feel your "pain". It's not a good problem to have to say the least. Did you have some spine problem, or injury?
 
#11
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

Navy is correct. All they are doing is opening up the "tunnel" that the nerve passes through, to allow some pressure relief to the nerve.
I am sure the guy gave you a wrist brace. right? Doesn't help much, but keeps you from flexing the wrist too much, and aggravating the problem.
I personally haven't done this procedure, but always wondered how one takes care of personal hygiene with both done at the same time. You really gotta be sure she's your friend.
 
#12
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

Agree.

the incidence for median nerve injury is slightly higher with the endoscopic technique vs. open technique. This is mostly due to the slight variation in the normal anatomy of the "recurrent branch of the median nerve". Also, the second factor is the "Operator" i.e., your surgeon. There is a learning curve to that.

The open technique can easily be accomlished with a relatively small incision with some stiches. Best advise I can give you is to rest and keep your arm elevated after the surgery. This will minimize the swelling and facilitate healing faster. The scar on the palmar side of the hand will heal very well, although a plastic surgeon's help will go a long way also.

Steroid shots are good. It buys time, if it works. I wouldn't want to have too many shots of that though. There are side effects and complications associated with that. Delaying definitive treatment for a long time is not recommended. You will experience loss of strength with power pinch grip.
 
#14
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

If you are concerned about the diagnosis, go to a "Hand Man"...one who is specially trained in that area. Orthopedic physicians are basically knee and shoulder and hip replacement people...lots of strength and confidence. Broken bones, and all that stuff. A good Doc will send you to a neurologist to determine the areas of impingement and degree of damage...then determine when and where you need relief. JMHO
 
#15
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

Agree w/ fnp. Go to a Good Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has also done a hand fellowship and does quite a few of the procedures. Big difference between an Orthopod who slashes and releases the nerve, and a Hand surgeon who does a minimal incision, wears loops for the procedure, and gives you a nice plastic closure. Followed up by good p.t. Have worked w/ guys on both ends of the spectrum, know what I would want. Just my .02
Eric
 
#16
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

Or you could try going an alternative medicine route...

My wife had carpal tunnel surgery and it did nothing for her. I always thought that carpal tunnel was some lame thing until it happened to me after loads of computer and gunsmithing time. Amazing pain and aches in my wrists and forearms. My wife had started going to a massage guy who did alternative medicine and I was talking with him and asked how he kept from getting carpal tunnel with all of the use to which he put his hands. He laughed and dismissed carpal tunnel, explaining to me what muscle groups to relax and how to hold my shoulders, back, arms, etc. when doing some of the things that I'd been doing. I thought that I would have to have some sort of surgery prior to this but, within three days, I had absolutely no pain at all.

Nowadays, whenever I feel some of it returning, I concentrate on relaxing the muscle groups that he showed me and the pain goes away.

Maybe you can find such a thing, maybe not, but it's worth a try to NOT have invasive surgery that seems to have a HIGH rate of failure.
 
#17
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

I've had it done in both hands!! I have done electrical work for 30+ years and my hands were a wreck.
The first one I had done was my left hand. It was so bad the Doc wondered how i even worked. I would just lose control of my hand and drop things. I couldn't lift my arm above my head with out it giong numb.
When I had my right hand done they did trigger finger surgery on my right index finger at the same time.
I would have it done again if needed. Very much worth the surgery and down time.
 
#18
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dennis_in_VA</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No other injuries that would contribute to my situation.

And no, the Ortho did not give me a wrist brace.

I try not to use my left hand as much as possible but it's hard to do even with day to day chores (ever tried to use a weed eater with one hand?).


</div></div>
You can buy your own brace. Even a soft one will help to some small extent. Mainly it will make you consider your moves, and adapt your work.
the steroid shots work in some not so much in others. Helps buy time as stated above. works by causing atrophy in the area, and reducing inflammation, which in turn reduces swelling, and reduces pain. with a little Marcaine, it will also stop the pain, until the work can be done.
The biggest problem in many cases is that it came from work. A working man doesn't stop working. So when I say "Rest the arm", he doesn't. He works. It gets worse. Leave the chores.
A personal observation: I never saw a person on welfare get carpal tunnel. Tell one of those guys to take it easy, don't do anything strenuous: "No problem, Dude."
Good luck. Get a Board Certified Surgeon.
 
#19
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

just had mine done left on july 7 and right on july 16.out of work for 1 month.i was miss diagnosed a year ago by an ortopedic surgion i asked if i had carpo he saib absolutly no would not even test me said it was the 3 herneated disks in my neck messing with my nerves.i thought bs dealt with it for another year n finally saw nurosurgion in june 2010 he tested me with a nerve conduction study that hurt like a biatch.diag as severve carpo in both left and right.got in for the chop job and bam 100% better both hands.dont be afraid to have it done at all. the day after my right was done i was pulling the box of my sons truck for a new fuel pump.not approved by the dr but had to be done.my hands were usable in just a few hours of surgery.painful but usable.as of today i have tendernes in both palms more in right but it will subside with time.
 
#20
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

This is something that scares me, I'm a younger guy (early 30's) that sits at a keyboard all day. I started having severe wrist pain a year or so ago, the right worse than the left. I talked to some people and made some changes, and have very little pain now. I don't think mine was carpal tunnel, but whatever it was hurt pretty bad, with sharp pains in the wrist and numbness in the hands.

Here are the things I did:

Lowered the legs on the back of my keyboard, so my wrists aren't cocked back all day

Started using the mouse with my left hand most of the time

Changed sleeping habits. Honestly, I think this had the most benefit. I like to sleep in my side, and would wake up often in the middle of the night with my entire arm completely 'dead' from lack circulation. I still have a problem going to sleep on my back, but it alleviates that problem. Also, I try to lay my arms in a way that the wrists won't curl down while I'm asleep, a local specialist told a friend with the same problem that was important.

When the wrists were well enough, I started using a kettlebell to help some shoulder pain. It helped the shoulders a lot, but I think it helped the wrists too, even though it seems like it would make it worse.

It's not miracle cure, but it's all nothing invasive and is free for those just starting to have problems. I still feel it sometimes, usually just a hint of numbness, but I can use a hammer again.
 
#21
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

wally world sells braces. If one has it mildly, try sleeping with them, it may help. For a severe condition, like the OP, by all means get it fixed.
I keep debating if I should get my mild case in both hands operated on. Has anyone not gotten their full strength back? That is what worries me.
 
#22
Re: Any Carpal Tunnel Victims out there?

Try the nite brace 3 months
If it is not successful
surgery is indicated
If U have severe weakness and Thenar atrophy maybe surgery sooner.

Open Carpal Tunnel Surgery is immensely successful if done on a timely basis. Endoscopic techniques are not proven superior in long term outcomes to the standard procedure, and there is a 7% chance of cutting the recurrent branch of the median nerve to your thumb..it is not worth it.
 
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