carpel tunnel-what to do

[2 tone z71]

after yrs of use ,abuse and general stupidty,my wrists started this god awefull aching in November and wont go away,during the day its hardly noticeable but once I stop for the evening it comes on strong and is starting to keep me awake,I went for a CT scan yesterday, there saying live with it, give it tylenol and ice ,or theres day surgury but it may come back,im sure several here have or had this anyone go with the surgury

[ChrisK]

Yup,mornings and evenings are the worst times. Ice and stretch as much as possible and taking an advil or two before bed doesn't hurt either...Also go to the drug store and buy a pair of wrist splints to ware while you sleep. This will keep your wrists straight and decrease the pain and tingling. If you google up carple tunnel home remedy you will find good wrist exercises to do after icing or anytime for that matter...

 

Good Luck

[irishfield]

Find a good ART therapist or Reflexology person to find and get some of the knots/scare tissue working for you. Go up town today to the Drug Store..Britt has one right.. lol...and buy some MYOFLEX cream. Coat your forearms and hands just before you hit the pillow. It's the only way I can get to sleep.. and by about 4am my hands are throbbing again and I coat and go back to sleep.

[2 tone z71]

Find a good ART therapist or Reflexology person to find and get some of the knots/scare tissue working for you. Go up town today to the Drug Store..Britt has one right.. lol...and buy some MYOFLEX cream. Coat your forearms and hands just before you hit the pillow. It's the only way I can get to sleep.. and by about 4am my hands are throbbing again and I coat and go back to sleep.

Wayne drug store and Britt hahahaha no .I do have the Myoflex thou gone thru a few tubes of it already ,you have any trouble with the wrists poping creaking cracking,seems to relief it for a lil bit thanks guys

[John]

As Wayne says Active Release Therapy is the way to go. Under no circumstances would I even think about surgery.

[ohhenrygsr]

I heard them holistic message really help. My gf has done the surgery so I can get her to pm ya about the details. She's had it for a while and been through it all .

Edited March 24, 2009 by Henry Nguyen

[cityfisher]

My mother just started to really suffer from this. She can hardly sleep at night and for most of the morning shes in pain. She got one of those wrist braces which helped a bit. Next stop is a pshiotheripist

[Bly]

North East Shark..

 

Ahh carpal tunnel, I know it well. I had surgery for both arms/wrists about 15 years ago. I wish someone had told me about ART back then. I no longer have carpal tunnel as I no longer have the sheaths that protect the nerves in those areas but this does not mean that I am trouble free.

 

Definitely would recommend the ART (received this for my forearm last year during trout season..amazing & fast results)

Ice

Anti-inflammatory meds (advil, motrin etc if you can take them)

Wrist splints.....wear them at night and for now, whenever you can tolerate them during the day

Stretch and when things settle a bit, strengthen

 

I learned to recognize things I was doing that were triggering the symptoms and did my best to retrain myself, the splints can be a large help with this.

 

 

Good luck! Oh and be thankful that they gave you a CT and not electromyography to diagnose....nasty test....so many little needles....

Edited March 24, 2009 by bly

[craigdritchie]

ART is pretty remarkable. I suffered a mild hamstring tear a couple of years ago and the ART therapist I saw had me as good as new in a couple of weeks.

 

To find a provider in your area, check out www.activerelease.com/providersearch.asp

[2 tone z71]

thanks everyone ill look into the ART therapist

[douG]

This is one of the most heartwarming posts I've seen in a long while. I am a strong proponent and advocate of ART, the success rate on ALL patients is 90%, including those that have had failed surgery.

 

It will cost you $30 or $40 per treatment, but you will only need 3 or 4, and the results are IMMEDIATE, as in right now.

 

It smarts a bit, but you will not believe how much better you are after just one treatment. Go to the link provided by Craig_Ritchie, and type in your postal code. The applet will return the licensed providers near your home or place of business.

 

I wouldn't wait for this kind of relief. Give 'er.

 

And NorthEastShark, shame on the Dr who told you to live with this or get cut. Most HMOs in the US will not pay for surgery until and unless you've been treated with Active Release Therapy. Take this to heart and don't let them cut you until you try this.

Edited March 24, 2009 by douG

[2 tone z71]

thanks fellas/ladies closest place is Huntsville ,couple hours away but worth it ,cant belive theres none in Sudbury area,sent email awaiting responce thanks again

[Terry]

I hear you can get medical marijuana for this

[2 tone z71]

I hear you can get medical marijuana for this

ahhh that would be easy Terry we got lots of them drug stores around

[irishfield]

Yah but that just makes you forget about what you were complaining about... doesn't get rid of it! lol

[steve_paul]

ART, thanks to Doug and his recommendation of it in the past I looked into it when I got it in Nov. Back to normal now after a couple months of treatment and no surgery. Don't think I said it before but Thanks Doug.

[gdelongchamp]

I have carpal tunnel syndrom and have had it for about twenty five years. I got it when I was mining in the gold mines in Red Lake. (Drilling with jack legs underground.)

 

The best remedy I have found for this is the wrist brace. Put one on at night and they will work like magic. I do not use creams, liniments or anything like that. The wrist braces work the best. I did not have re-ocurrences of this for some fifteen years until I started using a keyboard at work. Once again I used the wrist braces every night for about a week and the pain went away.

 

I recently had a reoccurence this winter (snow shoveling) and switched to my wrist brace again and it worked wonderfully.

 

Good luck with yours.

 

People who get carpel tunnel are usually drillers, butchers (working with cold meat) and as of late people using keyboards. Excessive snow shoveling will also bring it on so its best to wear heavy mitts and keep your hands warm and dry.

[2 tone z71]

well ive been either turning wrenchs or swinging hammers for 16-17yrs,damm that Eastwing framing hammer haha,where ya all getting your braces

[gdelongchamp]

You can get them at pharmacies or sports shops. There would probably be a better selection at those stores that supply all types of mecical equipment such as wheel chairs, crutches, etc. etc.

 

Note also they work because they apply pressure around your wrist. Tensor bandages will work just as well but they take a while to apply. Wrist braces take only a couple seconds to apply.

[pikehunter]

STAY AWAY FROM THE SURGEON! Did I say that loud enough for all to hear?

 

Mine started in 1980, both wrists operated on at the same time. In 1999 it all started to come to a head once again after years of having livable symptoms. Fortunately this time I was able to start a compensation claim. Approval to have surgery again on both hands was granted. I never had anything done with the left this time, and I never will let them slice the left open again. However I had three more surgeries performed on the right over a period of years, from a carpel tunnel release to 2 neurolysis operations (slit the outer layers of the nerve and tissue removal for a total of four on the same hand) physio therapy and wrist supports. After 6 years on comp I am still in constant pain, have numb fingers and hands and have little sense of touch in my finger tips, I have dropped and broken many coffee cups.

 

You know what the Doc from Comp told me to do in the end? DON"T GO NEAR THE SURGEON WITH A TEN FOOT POLE EVER AGAIN!

 

BTW, wrist supports do offer some relief as they are designed to pull your fingers up a little and relives some pressure on the nerve. Get yourself a support and wear it particularly while sleeping as it is natural to sleep with your wrist bent downward and this multiplies the symptoms.

[Sinker]

well ive been either turning wrenchs or swinging hammers for 16-17yrs,damm that Eastwing framing hammer haha,where ya all getting your braces

 

I pounded nails for 12 years too. The Estwing hammer was the worst one for my hands. I found if I used a wooden handled hammer, no problems. Try it. I still use a 26oz hammer, with a good straight claw, but a long wooden handle. Made a world of difference for me. I drive a hand full of nails with an estwing and my hand is killing me almost instantly.If I use one all day, my hand falls asleep at night, and keeps me up.

 

I don't miss framing one bit these days!

 

Sinker

[snag]

can i say use your left hand?

[desship]

Used a splint for years.Even used door shim them wrapped with tensor. Cortisone helps.Had both wrists done 20 years ago no problems since.

[ch312]

i think i was 22 when i had my left one done...way too young for carpal tunnel but thats what it was. one finger was so bad during the testing they thought the machine was screwed up.

 

went in for the surgery and missed 3 months of work. its still not as strong as it used to be either...