PSA: What I've learned about carpal tunnel syndrome.

[trof]

Sometimes I wake up at night and the fingers of one hand are numb.
I noticed that when I do Nordic Walking with ski poles (google it) the same thing happens.
I asked my doctor friend about it.
"Buddy, you have CTS. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome."
"No shit?"
"No shit."

Well I'll be damned.

I have no pain with mine, although some do.
Only the fingers connected to the median nerve are affected.
Thumb, index, middle, and just the inside of the ring finger.
The outside of the ring finger and the pinkie aren't affected.
Weird, hunh?

No one knows exactly why it occurs.
Could be hereditary.
Basically, the carpal tunnel on the inside of your wrist is too narrow.

It usually happens when you flex your wrist downward for a period of time.
Most people tend to sleep with their wrists curled in this manner.
You can test yourself for it by putting the backs of your hands together and applying some pressure for a few minute with your wrists curled.

There are various prosthetic devices available that may provide some relief.
Here's an interesting one that's only worn at night.
http://www.mycarpaltunnel.com/the-carpal-solution.shtml

Anybody else have CTS?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear trof...

I'm not sure I really have it, but every now and then, esp. when I've been on the computer a lot, my fingers will get a bit numb...

It goes away when I stop...

Ah, the joys of growing old...

:hi:

[trof]

2. If your symptoms are similar to what I described, that's it.

The only thing that bothers me is the waking up at night.
Of course I wake up anyway to go take a ...you know.
I think my bladder has atrophied.
:-(

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Yeah, my symptoms are similar...

Not always at night, though...

I hear you about the bladder thing...

:hug:

[FloridaJudy]

3. I often wake up in the morning with a numb hand

But that's undoubtedly due to my habit of sleeping with one hand tucked under my head. The numbness wears off in minutes. Check with your medical provider.

[Jamastiene]

4. My wrists hurt all the time lately.

My right wrist hurts worse than the left one. Me knees hurt too. Today, everything hurts.

[trof]

8. Try glucosomine sulphate.

I use Joint Soother from Vitamin World.
Works wonders for my hand and knee arthritis.

[CreekDog]

6. I had it in my early 20s

It was when I filed medical records part-time. Part-time!

I woke up every morning with both hands asleep and they would tingle as they came to life. :yoiks:

When I left that line of work for grad school and in fact went to 4 month job with no filing and no computer work those tinglies went away for good.

[Midlodemocrat]

7. I do. You know what has helped a great deal?

A cock out splint. You can get them at a large pharmacy.
They reduce the pain and numbness substantially and you don't need an Rx.

[bicentennial_baby]

9. I have intermittent cubital tunnel syndrome

It's a nerve in the elbow, affecting...the pinkie and outside of the ring finger! :D

[trof]

10. It's interesting what nerves go where.

I have an atrophied calf muscle. There's no nerve impulse going to it so it's just forever dormant.
I have a noticeable limp.
Neurologist says it's very old trauma.
Thinks I had a mildish case of polio when I was a kid.
I grew up in the 40s and 50s before Salk vaccine.

Hey, it got me a crip sticker to hang from my rear view mirror when I need it.
:evilgrin:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. I have that, too

along with the carpal tunnel. Lots of Fun. Yeah boy.

[frogmarch]

11. Oh no, sorry you have it.

I never have, but one of my sisters has had surgery for it, twice.

I have tarsal tunnel syndrome, which is similar to carpal tunnel, but it's in the feet. I've had it for about 10 years. I can walk and even work out on the treadmill, but because my toes and soles are mostly numb when the pain lets up, I have to watch my feet take every step, so that I know when they land. Same when I go up and down stairs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarsal_tunnel_syndrome

[femmocrat]

12. How does one do this?

"You can test yourself for it by putting the backs of your hands together and applying some pressure for a few minute with your wrists curled"

I can't figure out how to contort my hands into that position! LOL

PS. I do have carpal tunnel.... was diagnosed several years ago. I'm an artist... I think that is how I got it.

[Shell Beau]

13. I had pregnancy induced Carpal Tunnel (I swear such a thing exists).

Mine felt like what I think arthritis would feel like. Mine was in my hands. It hurt every morning to open and close my fingers. It hurt bad. It hurt to tie a shoe. It hurt to open any kind of bottle. Anything that took effort for my fingers to do, it hurt. Thankfully it faded away after pregnancy.

[brook]

14. Had CTS years ago...

now I have a 'flexor tendon' injury. Started out like a sprained thumb. When it started to hurt
badly over about 10 days, went to the ER for X-rays, thinking it might be broken.
Long story short: Not broken and after 10 weeks of therapy, I'm told it will not ever be better.

They say surgery needs to be done within 2 weeks or so for a successful outcome.

I'd urge everyone to be very careful of your fingers and hands -even a small cut can cause tendon damage as the tendons are right under the skin. Be sure and see a specialist... hands are very complicated and an ordinary MD won't have the expertise required.

http:www.eatonhand.com for more detailed info.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. Have it in both hands. Had the surgery in the Left Hand back in

1990. You have my sympathy.

[hedgehog]

17. Here's what I want to know: where was Carpel tunnel 30 years ago?

I swear I never heard of it before about 1985. I had a bad case of it, both hands, when I was home taking care of kids. I did have the repetitive motion of pinning diapers, but I never went near a computer back then!

My theory: It really has nothing to do with keyboards other than you notice the pain when typing. I think it is caused by gripping a steering wheel and the high incidence reflects the increasing hours spent driving!