I suspect I’ve ‘contracted’ Carpal Tunnel syndrome.
My hands are tingling and numb. People have offered various remedies including massaging my tricep and twisting my wrist back and forth.
The doctor is sending me to be tested by a nerve specialist as a prelude to surgery. I really don’t want surgery!
Has anyone else on here had this and had the surgery? how did it work out?
Has anyone found some other solution besides surgery?
One other wrinkle. Shortly after I felt the tingling I found that bowing my head down generates a violent ‘buzzing’ as if I’m being electricuted. A couple of months ago I passed out and hit the back of my head hard enough to need stitches. Could something have happened to my neck that would cause this buzzing>
I’m not sure if I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but my hands hurt a lot from using my laptop. I think it is the constant repetitive movement. I’ve heard that turmeric can help with CPT, but it has to be taken with black pepper to be most effective. I would try to do some on-line research regarding your situation, and unless the pain is unbearable I would not get surgery.
I suspect it’s not Carpal Tunnel, instead it’s a pinched nerve in your neck/shoulder region. This can effect your arm/hand. When you talk to the Neurologist focus on describing the symptoms, rather than offering your diagnosis (Carpal Tunnel). The Neurologist will do tests on you, and then likely schedule an MRI - in order to get good pictures of the inside.
That sounds like something other than carpal tunnel to me (I have something in mind, but I could be wrong). You should definitely tell the doctor the neck buzzing as well as the pins and needles in the hand.
I had it while I was pregnant with Thing 2. (I didn’t have the ‘buzzing’ in my neck, though, just numbness and tingling in my hands, mostly at night.) I got wrist braces from a physiotherapy shop - you need the ones with the metal splint that keeps your wrist in position - and they fixed it.
I worked with a woman who had it and had surgery. It went really well and her recovery was pretty easy. She had to wear wrist braces (made of fabric) for a long while after, but was glad she did it. Choose your surgeon wisely. We have hand specialists here.
I mentioned it, he was going to let it pass but I insisted, so he got me to go get neck x-rayed. He seems to go for the easy solution, which concerns me. I agree, the next step is checking with a neurologist and seeing the results of the x-ray.
What do you have in mind? Someone mentioned a pinched nerve with sounds plausable considering my recent head injury.
I had moderate CTS due to my job and was referred to a nerve specialist who zapped me with electrodes attached at my wrists. The pain in my brain during his test was the most pain in my life. I didn’t get surgery, and it gradually went away after I changed jobs.
This is true. Thoracic outlet syndrome (among other things) can pinch a nerve in the neck or the chest region causing numbness and weakness in the hands.
I would recommend the OP also see a physical therapist who works with these conditions. It could be nerve compression in your wrist, but it could also be the pec minor in your chest or the anterior scalenes in your neck.
The bending of your head down implies you have compression somewhere in the neck/chest region. But again, you could have compression at multiple points and each one adds to the issue in your hands. Even if you address one, the others will remain.
To the OP: put your arm straight up, then bend your elbow 90 degrees. Now move your arm back. Does that make the numbness worse?
I’m not a doctor but I pretend to be on the internet.
Also I’ve had good luck with alpha lipoic acid for the numbness and neuropathy.
Thanks for the response. I’ve had my neck x-rayed and got a therapeutic massage last night. I"m also wondering if a chiropractor could help with whatever may be causing the pinching, depending on what the x-ray shows.
I tried the exercise described, and yes i believe it does make the numbness worse. ETA but not as bad as tilting my head forward.
You must see a neurologist. It may not be carpal tunnel, or may be multiple things. While you should generally try alternative begore surgery, I can’t understand why you would screw around with a chiropractor before you even tried seeing a doctor.
I had carpal tunnel. I wore the braces for a while and changed the repetitive activity and it went away. It really was just that easy.
Honestly, what you were describing sounded a bit like MS to me, particularly the neck thing, but there would be other signs too, I think. But that’s why I think you should mention both symptoms together. And if you have any problems with urinary or bowel control or sex drive that you haven’t mentioned here, you should mention them to your doctor. Your head injury does make something more temporary sound more likely, but still, I think it’s best not to isolate your symptoms.
I’ve already seen a doctor, so I’m not sure where this is coming from?
Thanks for the advice. I’m going to get the wrist splits as well. I got some but they didnt fit well, so I’ll go exchange them. However, I agree, it’s really seeming like the problem isn’t in my wrists, but more the neck.
I would recommend that you don’t muddy the waters with massage, physical therapy, or chiropractor, in the meantime. What they are doing doesn’t address nerve issues and they may be making it worse.