Carpal tunnel syndrome

[CrealCritter]

During my 6 month check-up last week, my doctor said I most likely have Carpal tunnel syndrome. He gave me some exercises and ordered wrist splints. He said I should have told him sooner, before I started dropping things. But I've had pain in my wrist arm and shoulders for years. It's just within the past year or so my fingers have become numb for no good reason and the pain in my hands sometimes wakes me up at night.

Yesterday I did a little barn organizing and woodworking. I woke up this morning at 3:30am in so much pain in my hands that it brought tears to my eyes. I sat on the side of the bed and shook my wrists until the pain subsided. This morning it took a good hour for the numbing in my fingers to go away. Even now hours after my fingers and expecially my thumbs are still kind of numb.

Doing the exercises causes my wrists to pop like rice crispies. I have a high tolerance to pain and can usually ignore pain pretty well. But this pain is something else. Looking forward to the day when the pain is less or gone all together. My doctor said the braces should help at night. I sure hope so...

 

[Britesea]

DH thought it sounded like Peripheral Neuropathy to him; not sure how that is different from Carpal Tunnel

 

[baymule]

What about surgery?

 

[Hinotori]

If it is carpel tunnel and that bad, the surgery really does help. My mother has had to have the surgery done 4 times now over 30+ years. Both hands, right wrist, and right elbow.

Did they at least give you a cortisone shot to help with the swelling? That's standard first treatment and sometimes all that's needed.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I would suggest that you go to a good diagnostic physical therapist. You could have a number of issues that are causing your pain, especially since you've had the shoulder and arm pain for years. Could be cervical impingement, thoracic outlet syndrome, carpel tunnel, and perhaps a combination. A good therapist will look at the WHOLE system, do a postural assessment, and come up with a treatment plan. Yes, surgery may be indicated... but... could also be that a good program to bring muscles and bone structures into alignment just may fix you right up.

 

[CrealCritter]

It is what it is... I ain't gonna have anyone cut on me unless it's so bad that I can stand it anymore. My doctor did want to send me to a orthopedic surgeon, but I talked him out of it. Then he tried to talk me into physical therapy but I talked him into splints and exercises instead first. Just waiting for the splints to come in. It's just some numbing and pain, I would rather see if I can make it better by myself, before I get involved all that mess. Can you tell I don't like doctors much? I do like my doctor though because he's a friend of mine.

I spent most of the day laying trim in the rental house. Several things I want to get done in the house before the end of the month when new renters move in. Right now my wrists are painful and fingers feel.like their asleep. Gonna take a hot bath and hopefully I should be feeling better. This cold weather ain't helping none either.

 

[Chic Rustler]

I've had it in both hands for years. hands go numb all the time especially when driving. not a big deal.
now I'm having issues with my elbow and forearm. can't hardly usa an 18 inch iron pipe wrench for the pain. might go ahead and get it looked at.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Being able to work with our hands is so important. Sometimes prolonging a surgery makes things worse. Please consider that aspect of both your situations. guy to guy advice, its free, so its worth what you paid. Lol

 

[CrealCritter]

Being able to work with our hands is so important. Sometimes prolonging a surgery makes things worse. Please consider that aspect of both your situations. guy to guy advice, its free, so its worth what you paid. Lol

Giving it the old college try. Just not ready for the knife, just yet.

 

[Mini Horses]

Some of the pain is from swelling around the nerves. Does asprin cream help? Or taking something like acetemepherin? A hairdresser friend had the wrist op, it helped but recovery was several weeks.