Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
 

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome?
I wonder how many of you suffer with this?
My brace for my right hand is not helping much any more. I have had it for about 5 years.
The brace has a metal piece and that seems to be jabbing into my wrist/inner arm 3 inches above my wrist.
Is there a forum here for RSI?
Repetitive Strain Injury?
I saw a huge list of links at the TOS site....
and I have never done any research....
it is getting worse so I need to start learning.
Using the computer makes it worse.
thanks
bizi

Carpel Tunnel
 

Bizi -

My hubby had surgery on both of his, at different times of course. Day surgery, easy recovery and probably better than what you are going through now. I wouldn't let the grass grow any longer, see a specialist. Hubby had his done by orthopaedists. Good Luck!

Hugs,
Nancy

Hi Bizi, I had carpel tunnel release surgery a couple of years ago but as it turns out I did not get any relief from surgery. My wrist pain/numbness/tingling is coming from my cervical area where I have a syrinx.

But like you I found that the wrist brace was digging into my forearm so I went to a medical supply store and got one that comes up my arm just a little bit more and that seemed to help. You could also get a custom made one from a physical therapist. It is molded to your arm and hand so it is a perfect fit. Have you been to physical therapy for it yet? I found that I got alot of relief from the modalities that they use.

Anyway, I hope you get some relief and find something that works for you...Sue

Bizi, the surgery is not very painful at all and I have enjoyed the release of pain from both wrists for some years now. I had far rather get surgery and be done with it. Hope you can get some relief from the brace soon.
I have thumb surgery comming up July 10 and again I can't wait for it to get done and over with. So very tired of the bone on bone pain. Brace helps some but not enough and like you it gouges me! Wish I could end my other pain so easily. ;) Gaye

HI Bizi,

Here is a great book from a PT named Sharon Butler with some exercises fro carpal tunnel. Us TOSers use her TOS book.

BUt everyone is right you should see s specialist and make sure that the pain is from carpal tunnel and not a distal pain from your neck that radiates down.

Sue what is a syrinx?

Thank you for your responces ladies.
I have had joint issues for the past 25 years.
I "crack" my neck, back and hips and have been getting headaches now.
It feels like my head and my neck aren't attached correctly. I hear little crunches and popping at the base of my head.
You are right I need to have this checked out.
I have been to a chiropractor before and have read some advertisements about helping with head aches...
I do need a longer brace...wonder where you get them?
How do you feel about chiropractors?
bizi

Chiropracters are fine if you get a good one. I can't use one for my C-spine due to issues and having a titaium plate in it but would not mind trying one for my lower spine. Hopefullyy with my medicare kicking in in July I will be able to give it a go. I do have to add that a chiro did make my neck much worse after using him but I knew better when I did it! Gaye :)

I like chiros but do not let him do any fast neck adjustments. THoracic Spine and hips and low back great but fast neck adjustments where they twist your head fast can be dangerous to the vertbral arteries.

I also have crunching clicking and poppong sounds at base of my neck and sometimes it does nto feel attached.

Do you ever get pain between your shoulder blades?

Hi Shelley, a syrinx is a fluid filled cyst in your spinal cord. It is also called syringomyelia. It causes pain, numbness headaches. Mine was caused by a auto accident. As it stands now we just watch it to make sure it doesn't grow. They can put a shunt in to drain it but I am nowhere near that point yet. ...Sue

Hubby suggested I use the other hand for the mouse..so am trying to learn how to do this...it has already helped a lot plus taking my hand to my lap when I am using my left hand...giving it a break....
I am going to get a new brace as this ones hurts my forearm jsut wearing it.
thanks again you guys.
bizi

(((Bizi)))

Hi bizi!! I too had carpel tunnel surgery about 7 years ago on my right hand. I would do it all over again as I haven't had a problem with it since! The surgery was done while I was awake, but I did not feel it. Because I was awake, there was no long recovery time in the hospital....I was outta there in a jif!! I just took tylenol for the discomfort afterward for a day or two. That discomfort was nothing compared to the pain and sleepless nights I had experienced prior to the surgery!!! I hope a new brace will make a difference, Bizi! Take Care, Dorrie:hug:

Bizi - are you wearing the brace while you are working?
The new thinking is that will cause more problems in the long run because you will change the way you are using your arm and pain may travel up into your shoulder.
The last couple of years the new thinking is to wear a brace only while resting, relaxing or sleeping.

The chiro I found is very gentle with his adjustments , I feel very comfortable with his treatments {been going since mid 04}
- plus he does other PT type treatments - ultrasound, low level laser, INF stim, Triggerpoint/ massage.
He specializes in geriatric care- so that might be something to ask about when you are looking for a good one. Many will have a free or discounted evaluation and you can use it to get a feel for the doc.
Carefulness, caution, thoroughness, no fast/rough adjustments are things to look for in a good DC.
I also had found an advanced PT guy that was very good too.

As Shelley mentioned many of the therapies for TOS are good for most RSI also. Out useful links sticky -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=84


and this from sorehand-
{ http://www.ucsf.edu/sorehand/ }

== RSI RESOURCES ON THE WEB ==
* The Typing Injury FAQ (frequently asked questions), a.k.a. TIFAQ, is an educational site provided by the CTD Resource Network, Inc.
http://www.tifaq.com/
o This site contains a wide variety of information about repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), resources for dealing with these ailments, and a broad description of assistive products to reduce injury risk and symptoms. Many of the entries are annotated. Just starting your research into RSI? You may want to start at the Best WWW sites section of the TIFAQ.
o Also hosted at the CTDRN site, is the archive of The RSI Network Newsletter. Subscribe to this very informative, free e-mail newsletter by sending mail to RSINet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
* Repetitive Strain Injury page maintained by Paul Marxhausen - Topics of particular interest include hints for musicians and FindADoc.
http://eeshop.unl.edu/rsi.html
* FindADoc - a non-commercial, voluntary effort to list specific practitioner references and general suggestions for locating Health Care Providers for RSI patients. Sorehanders: If you HAVE received competent and knowledgable care for RSI, please consider sharing information about your health care provider with people who are in sore need of one by submitting your referral to this resource.

carpel tunnel flare up
 

Well I figured out what trigger this last bit of trama. For the past 3 weeks
I have been using a pair of clippers on toe nails for my job,They came defected and right off the bat they were not as shrp as the old pair but still used them. I had too trim a clients nails that were very thick and I put all of my weight sqeezing those nippers and strained my wrist hand that way.
I will go back to using my old pair until I can get a new good pair and will just have to be very very careful with them.
glad that i figured this out and that it was not just the computer.
wearing the brace is more painful so I am going with out it for now.
must pay close attention to my techniqe....and posture. hubby gave me some stretching exercises to do as he has studied this alot since he plays classical guitar and faces these issues all of the time.
I am not resting my hand on the bar now jsut typing with my fingers up...
this seems to help..my forearms are not touched by anything or weight.
I switched back to my old clippers and will buy anew pair tommorow.
bizi

Learning how to use my left hand for the nouse is easier than I thought.
Bought new clippers today and hopefully they will work out ok...even driving seemed to strain my arm....
I will be posting less....
hope you all are doing well.
bizi

bIZI BE CAREFUL OF THE LEFT HAND TOO. i HAVE GOTTEN MUCH WORSE WITH MINE SINCE THE RIGHT HAS (whoops...didn't mean to shout :o ) gotten to the point of needing surgery on my thumb. Carpal tunnel is the same way...overuse of the opposite hand will cause it to get in a bad way.
I have driven the car with one arm for years, due to my C-spine issues. Hope you feel better soon and please don't post less....we will miss you. Just post in short hand like...how r u, I b fine...etc! LOL We will understand. My daughter and I do it if we instant message each other. Actually it is a good way to save all our hands and our necks too!
Hugs and friendship :hug: , Gaye :)

Bizi do you have numbness or tingling in any fingers?

pinky & ring finger = ulnar nerve/cubital tunnel or TOS { symptoms are coming from the neck/pecs/collarbone areas}
index/middle finger = radial nerve

Oh here's a good webpage - so I don't get it wrong LOL
http://www.chiro.org/LINKS/repetitive_stress.shtml

hi gaye and Jo,
thanks you for your sweet replies.
I have numbness in the pinky and 5th fingers if I wear my brace toolong Ie; am on the computer too long my hand swells as well. I also "figured out" that I have been really abusing my right hand...have a suitcase on wheels that I use for work and it's handle gets stuck in the up postion...I have been banging..forceing it to go down with all my weight repeatedly...no wonder my arm is all messed up.
the tendons in my forearm hurt and this is why the brace hurts. Using the mouse on the left side helps alot.
I got a permanent curl put into my hair yesterday.
I could not even hold my head up at the bowl my neck muscles are so bad...I had to stand up and lean over the sink...I wonder if this has anything to do with my arm...or perhaps that is another problem area....
Thanks for the link jo and I will go there right now.
Just typing for a couple of minutes has my 4th finger numb already.
~sigh
bizi

I really suggest that you get it looked into or at least see if you can get some good qualified phys therapy - I'd hate to see it develop into a chronic RSI or TOS type of thing. I should have mentioned that if you having to use/wear the brace for 5 yrs isn't a good sign.
Just off and on I hope- occasionally??

upper body posture & alignment is something to be aware of too.

shoulders = rolled forward? hunched? uneven?
head = often tilted, angled, jutted or carried forward of the body?
someone may have to help you check your alignment from the side.

the last post in out TOS sticky has a link to some posture & therapy videos
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=84

dear Jo,
I went tothe link fand looked at the diagnostic algarythms...wow is that confusing.
I am not sure what some of those words mean but will look at it some more.
thank you again for the link.
bizi

well i went to see an O.T. today during lunch he quickly assessed my right arm and said that I probably did not have carpel tunnel instead had ulnar nerve envolvement and CMC tendonitis at the thumb joint.
I told him how the brace hurt my arm and said to quit wearing it....
He said it will take weeks for the arm to settle down to see what are my real symptoms. Pay attention to my daily activities, ice advil stretches...then come back.
I liked him and felt like he knew what he was talking about.
Thanks for your input and support.
I guess time will tell.
bizi

here are some great examples of stretches:
http://ergocise.com/wrists.html
bizi

We now have RSI added as a sub forum on the TOS forum.

I made a sticky there and added some RSI links as well as some ergo links.

thank you jo...I will go check it out!
bizi:hug: