What is your experience with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

In My Humble Opinion
21

I’ve seen a variety of medical experts for my neuropathy, the most incompetent was an orthopedic physician and the most competent was a physical therapist. Doctors do not always know best.

A good PT can address nerve issues by figuring out where/how/why nerves are being compressed and prescribing a stretching routine to help decrease the pressure.

A massage therapist who practices myofascial release could also help if the muscle(s) that are putting pressure on the nerve (if that is the issue) get stretched properly.

22

I had what the doctor diagnosed as carpal tunnel; I had numbness and tingling in the two smallest fingers on my right hand and that half of the palm. I had been sitting at a desk, using my computer, and resting my right elbow on the hard armrest, for several hours per day and for around six months, and the doctor said that was probably the cause. So I changed the angle my elbow rested (or rested that forearm on the desk) to take the pressure of my elbow. It worked, and several years later I’ve not had an issue with it. There was no buzzing in my neck.

A possible action would be to look at where you spend a lot of your time - the car, a desk, bed etc - and see if any of them are affecting your posture.

23

I sit at the computer all day at work and come home and sit at the computer at home, so yeah that could be it. :smiley:

My desk at home is very high. I have to have my arms angled up to use the keyboard and mouse. I’m thinking I should get a better (higher) chair or get a new desk, or both. I thought this was the problem with my hands at first. I’ve been wearing a wrist splint on my right hand for years, while using the computer at home. Now, with this neck problem I’m not sure what’s causing it.

24

I said in post #7 that the next step is seeing what the x-ray and neurologist tests say, so I’m in agreement :slight_smile:

25

And then you said you had a massage and were wondering about a chiropractor, so you can see why we thought you were trying other things before seeing a doc. But none of that matters. I hope you sort it all out and feel better soon.

26

The test you need is a nerve conduction test by the neurologist. This will tell you where the problem is, in the neck or in the hand or both. Treatment depends on what the problem is because if the problem is carpal tunnel syndrome, it may benefit from wrist splints while a neck problem requires different treatment. Please avoid manipulation of your neck until you know that this is not the cause. If the nerve testing reveals that the problem arises from the neck, an MRI can show what is causing the symptoms. If you have a partially protruding disc, for example, the wrong manipulation (by a massage therapist, chiropractor or physical therapist) could make the situation worse and actually cause permanent damage to your arm.

For now, the things that cannot hurt and may be helpful are the wrist splints (get “cock-up” splints with the metal inserts as noted above). There is also some data that vitamin B6 may help symptoms of carpal tunnel in doses up to 200 mg daily. Although B-vitamins are usually not stored in the body, there is also some indication that they may be toxic at very high doses. Many neurologists I know recommend a trial of 50-100 mg daily.

I just want to clarify this. What you had was NOT carpal tunnel syndrome but ulnar neuropathy. Carpal tunnel syndrome involves the median nerve and affects the thumb and first four fingers while ulnar neuropathy involves the 4th and 5th fingers and is usually caused by compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, which you said. diagram

27

It’s also called Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, right? I’ve been reading about it recently because I have this issue too, and I’m confused about the “nerve gliding exercises” that are recommended. I mean, are you supposed to do them to strengthen muscles to keep the nerves where they belong, or just realigning the nerves?

28

Hey, thanks. I guess my doctor didn’t want to confuse me so chose a name I’d most likely know.

29

I appreciate all the posts and suggestions in this thread, thanks all.

It’s not getting better yet.

30

Hey BrianJ,

In August 2005, both of my hands started going numb on and off throughout the day. As it got progressively worse, I noticed that my thumb and index finger were numb all the time and the feeling would come and go in the other three fingers. I felt sure that it was Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I had been using a laptop as my primary computer for about five years. My hands would occasionally go numb after 30-45 minutes of constant typing because my hands/wrists were never in the ‘correct’ ergonomic position.

Two months later, in October 2005, my right arm and hand went numb and didn’t get better. A few days after that happened, I began to lose the ability to move my right arm for hours at a time. I freaked out and went to see my orthopedic surgeon. He sent me for an MRI directly from his office and called me the next day with the results.

I had two discs in my cervical spine which were severely damaged and pressing on my spinal cord. I scheduled surgery to remove them and have a c-spine fusion two weeks later. One of the discs ruptured prior to surgery and caused even more pain, but the surgery was 100% successful. It scared the hell out of me, but I was glad when I woke up from surgery and felt all my fingers could move my right arm easily!

Leading up to surgery, my surgeon tried to help me figure out when and how the discs were damaged. I had just turned 30 and I was going to be the second youngest patient that the surgeon had ever operated on! In May 2001, I was t-boned while making a left turn by a jerk that ran the red light. He was driving a 4WD work truck at 45mph+ when he slammed into the passenger side of my ’98 Honda Accord. It was a VERY hard hit and it put me in the hospital for four days. But the damage to my c-spine wasn’t detectable immediately. But the cervical spine is NOT meant to move side-to-side as it does in a side-impact collision.

So your head injury and the buzzing sound when your head is bowing down could certainly be related to the numbness in your hands. You’re doing the right thing by seeing a neurologist!

By the end of 2005, I was back to normal. Then in 2008, I started having numbness and/or burning/throbbing pain in my hand(s). It scared the hell out of me and I was terrified that something was wrong with my c-spine again. (BTW, the three vertebrae surrounding the two discs that were removed are now one big mass held together by titanium plates and screws). Once again, I ran to see my trusty ortho surgeon. This time he was certain that it was Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

He sent me for Nerve Conduction Velocity testing to confirm the diagnosis. They basically send electrical shocks (which hurt like a bitch when you have numbness already) and measure your response somehow. Even though I am right-handed, the tests showed that my left hand was much worse than my right.

So I had the left surgery on my left hand in late 2008. The procedure is called Open Carpal Tunnel Surgery. The surgeon made an incision (about 1” long) in at the bottom of my palm in the center. That allows the transverse carpal ligament to be cut and that’s all there is to it! That ligament is what pinches or puts pressure on the nerves causing the numbness and pain. The great news is that once you’ve had the surgery, you will never have to worry about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome again. The ligament doesn’t grow back so the problem is solved permanently.

I put off the right hand until 2012 and it really needed to be done several years earlier. I waited until I could no longer use my right hand for detailed things likes writing and the recovery and pain after surgery were much worse because of that. It has been just over two years since that last surgery and my handwriting and signature aren’t nearly as neat or legible as they were before.

So whatever the heck is wrong with you, I can relate. Whatever the diagnosis, I strongly encourage you to consider surgical options (if possible). By avoiding surgery, you may only be delaying the inevitable and making it much worse than it is now. Untreated, the potential for permanent nerve damage or even permanent disability are very real risks….

Keep us updated. I haven’t prayed in years, but I’ll at least do the ‘Sign of the Cross’ and send up a Hail Mary for you… (and I’m not even Catholic)! Good luck!

31

I had it in my left wrist last year, had to get surgery in September; got it in the right one and had a second surgery last December. The tingling and numbness were making me very anxious and sleepless. It wasn’t so much a pain issue, but I was losing my mind from it.

Since the surgeries, I have been much better and happier.

32

After developing symptoms including numbness and pain, I switched to the joystick type mouse and ergonomic keyboard. Oh, and I stopped playing Nintendo64 altogether.

They saved my career. I cannot function in my job without a computer.

33

Thanks for the detailed response!

I’ve got my appointment for the Neurologist. It’s a 2 month wait.

Welcome to Canadian Healthcare I guess?? It’s going to be a long 2 months if this gets any worse.

34

Thanks for the info, I’ll look into those!