Hello,
I am new to writing in this forum but have been looking at posts for awhile. I was diagnosed with CRPS after a tailor's bunionectomy and osteotomy that I had on my right foot in June 2012. I didn't receive the diagnosis until last October or the correct treatments until February of 2013. I have had so many different types of nerve blocks with no success. Doctors and Physical Therapist all agree that I should get a Spinal Cord Stimulator but I am not in a place where I can trust any doctor to operate on me again. So I have been trialing multiple medications with some relief. However weakness, tingling, numbness, and shooting pain started in my wrists, hands, and arms. Now doctors have recently diagnosed me with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in both wrists-- the right being far worse than the left. Has anyone heard of some connection here? I am only 34 years old and was very healthy until this whole mess started. Is it just coincidence that now I am having more neuropathic pain or could the CRPS be spreading?

Hi Erin,
Welcome and I'm sorry about your rsd. I've had it for over 2 years and because of many errors on multiple surgeries I had on my wrist and stomach, I am wary of any more surgeries either. I was never as sick as I have been since I got this either. And I don't trust drs the way I used to. I find some are just looking to experiment. I passed on neurostimulator and am taking meds and exercising now. I also have fibromyalgia now. My rsd had spread over the last year and I've been told that there really aren't any more options left except meds and exercise and hope it will go into remission. I've never had carpal tunnel syndrome and don't know if its related. If I were you I would see some more drs (especially neurologists) and ask their opinion. I think they can xray to find out if you have carpal tunnel syndrome. As far as spreading is concerned from the rsd, my drs are never quite sure, but believe that it is. I hope I helped and good luck. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Doesn't true carpal tunnel only affect the hands??

If it is affecting arms also you might want to explore our thoracic outlet syndrome forum TOS for short.
TOS is not well known or understood by many drs, some advanced PTs usually know more about it..

Do you do repetitive activities? forward head/shoulders or hunched postures?
Here is the useful stick link for TOS post #1 is a crash course.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html

There is also what is called double or triple crush with TOS, you have TOS plus cubital and/ or carpal tunnel.

But search the symptoms of carpal tunnel and make sure they really do fit for you before getting any surgery - and try PT first.

It could be TOS causing the issues if symptoms are up the arms- and if tight /sore neck, achy upper back are happening too.

Hello Erin,

I'm sorry that you also suffer from CRPS! Yes, CRPS can spread or jump to other limbs. However, there is always the possibility it isn't spread and something else. Either way your doctor(s) should be made aware of any new symptoms and areas of pain so that they can evaluate it. It is easy to just blame everything on CRPS since it has so many varying symptoms and the potential for spread.. err on the side of caution just in case.

Regarding the Spinal Cord Stimulator - I had mine implanted on 7/8 and I'm very glad I went through with it for without it I can barely walk. No, it doesn't take all the pain away and some symptoms just aren't helped by it but I would absolutely do it again. It may be worth further consideration especially to help your foot.

RSD / CRPS does move into your hands with out a doubt. First do NOT get it operated on it just makes it worse. REMEMBER I am not a DOCTOR I can only tell you about my experience.

Carpal Tunnel does not come from your wrists. I know sounds strange. However the treatment is expensive 50 to 75 bucks and you get an unbelievable nauseating "meaning fn Hurts" massage in your forearms to release the nerves. Expensive yes ... Hurts like HELL yes ... 3 times a week for 3 weeks ... invest in yourself. REMEMBER PAIN IS JUST PAIN ... dam its hard I know believe me I know. This treatment not only helps Carpal Tunnel .. it helps CRPS /RSD Remember the first rule of treatment with CRPS .. PAIN is GAIN we have to retrain our neurons in our brain and get them to fire off in a different way. This is what we all have .. a new network built via pain and we must break free from that new network thus we have to go thru more pain. I wish we all did not have this. So far there is no cure but we dang well will try ... in the first year of knowing you have it .. force force yourself to do everything RETRAIN that brain ... sorry I do not have better news ... Phone around look on the net I went into a chiropractors office which knew the teq-neek to release the nerves and it worked for me. Good luck my friend .. try to stay pain free.

I don't have any neck or upper back pain though. The numbness and tingling etc. is mainly in my hands and fingers but I get these nerve shocks that shoot up my arm, like the nerve shocks that shoot from my foot up my leg. It seems to stem from wrist movement and elbow flexion. I guess I just found it strange that this would come on so fast and progressively get worse fast (only started about 5 weeks ago).

Thank you for your input. I will be speaking with my Neurologist soon.

Erin,

I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel at the same time as my CRPS was verified by a hand surgeon (yeah, that sucked)- no, not after surgery. He wanted to see what of my pain was caused by the Carpal Tunnel vs. the CRPS, so he inserted a nerve block in my wrist. Won't pretend that didn't hurt, but I've actually had some success, at least with that. I'm not having the shooting pain up my arm in that area anymore.

It's something to be grateful for, but at the same time, it emphasizes even more how much pain the CRPS is causing. -Just- the CRPS. I'm having some trouble (ok, a lot) coping, but that's a topic for a different thread.

Take care of yourself.
Luna.Moon