What is CTS again?

This was my complaint so one of my 2 neuros did the EMG of my arms/neck and said I have mild carpal tunnel.

But when I told him my legs buzz daily with tingling/numbness in my foot and electrical pain shooting down my legs, he told me the MS neuro would have to see me again and tell him to do the EMG of my legs/feet. He was already doing the EMG of my arms but could not do my legs at the same time...hmmm...

Anyone else find its not carpal tunnel???

Jan

cts is carpal tunnel sydrome

Does your whole arm fall asleep?
or just your hands?

Do you sleep with your hands/arms above your head, under your pillow or bent tightly?

any other symptoms/pains that might be related -fingers, hand, wrist, forearm, neck, shoulder?

So sorry Baxter!

This is what a doc had me do to test for carpal tunnel (before MS dx):

Put the backs of your hands together and push your wrists together lightly (doesn't need to hurt) for 1 minute.

I think if there is no immediate pain (within 1 min.) that it is NOT carpal tunnel.

Not a trained professional here, just what I remember.

sorry baxter, I know what you are going through it is painful enough it wakes you and for me its the arms hands, totally numb and i sleep on my back, so its not like i slept on one of my arms, debbie had to masage my arms this morning to help me out they hurt so bad, I have tried a few meds now not much luck with the meds for this, for me at least make you make a note of this so you mention it to doc and or call him about it, hope it stops it does seem to come and go for me can say the more exhausted i am the more it rears its ugly head

I just got back from my neuro's office. He did an EMG on my arms because I've been having the same problem, arms falling asleep at night.


He said "good news! It's NOT carpal tunnel! It's the MS!" (how is this good news again?)

Apparently if it was carpal tunnel, then I might have to have surgery or some other kind of treatment. (I've been there, done that before...had CTS surgery in the early 90s) He said that the sleepy arms will probably get better. (ummm....my arms have been doing this since I was little)

I asked for a copy of my medical records. I want to see what he says about the EMG. So, I should get that in a week.

Weird thing, he was the one who actually did the EMG on me, last time I had something like that done (early 90s), they had a tech do it and I had to wait for the doctor to get the results before they'd tell me what it said.

As for the rest of my appointment, he didnt do a regular neuro exam (he did one at the beginning of April when I had a problem) He did say that he thinks I'm improving from the problems that I've been having. Not that I feel like I'm improving much, other than in my left eye that I had ON in 2yrs ago.

When I was first dx'd I had that problem...man oh man...sure does wake you up in a hurry! And uncomfortable!!!

Doc told me to get a different pillow...one that would keep me from rolling over onto my face and keep my arms from getting rolled up under my head. It worked!!!!

I was also tested for Carpal Tunnel and didn't have it.

I changed pillows. I got one that was shaped different, more like a triangle...anyway, you might go to one of the sleep shops at your local mall and talk to them about the problem you are having. I didn't have to use the pillow for very long before I retrained myself to sleep in a different position. I used to sleep on my stomach ... now I sleep on my side or my back and don't have any problems.

I still have that pillow...maybe I can send it to you...it's been sealed up and stored...I would be happy to lend it to you ...

I sleep on my sides (almost exclusively on the left side) and my left arm is the one that falls asleep all the time.

I'm wondering if it's not the MS causing my problem, but possibly laying on my side is causing some sort of ischemia from laying on my arm. I've tried moving my arm forward and away from my body, but I still have one bit of anatomy that gets in the way of my upper arm, and I'm thinking that may be pressing on my upper arm and making my arm fall asleep from compression on a nerve or an artery.

I wonder if I can re-train myself to sleep on my back...

I had the same problem. My arms and legs would fall asleep frequently while sitting, sleeping, or standing. It happened almost daily for 8 weeks, then stopped. It was fine for months, and then started again and eventually disappeared. It seems to take several minutes to get a limb back to normal and it is painful! I'll hop around if it is one of my legs or feet, or wave my arms madly, gritting my teeth from the hot, shocking needle-like pain.

Yoga and stretching help, too, as a preventative. I try to move around more and flex my writsts and feet a lot if I have to sit in the car or at a desk for a long time.

I can handle a few minutes of discomfort. If it means that I can still move my limbs, I'll deal with it and be thankful for today.

I feel sorry for you, though, and I'm not discounting your experience. I think it's a good excuse for a therapeutic massage and a new pillow at the very least!

hmm , its been , almost , a , year now , iv been , having , the same , problem , during , the night , my hands , tend , to fall , alseep , with tiggles , although , by , morning , usally , its , all gone , my hands , are fine , although , its , a pain , in , my butt , i find , heh , basicly , i guess , were , not alone , in this.