Carpal Tunnel

[endobear]

Been dealing with my hands going numb at work for years. It's now so bad I wake up 7-9 times a night with numb hands and pain in the rest of my arm. Painful to the point it hurts to open a cabinet drawer in the morning. Getting weaker, dropsies. My ortho doc did exrays and says I have bone spurs and scar tissue in my shoulders that I need to deal with at some point and found bone on bone arthritis in my spine/neck pinching the ner es to my hands. Sent me to spine doctor. Spine doctor says yeah., you have arthritis in your neck but that's not what he thinks is causing my hand arm issues. Pains in the wrong spot.
Going in for electromygram (emg) tomorrow.
I'm sure some inmates here have delt with it. Any advice on dealing with it?

 

[evantwheeler]

I have had multiple acquaintances through a CrossFit gym say that CrossFit rid them of their carpal tunnel symptoms. It sounds like yours are pretty bad, along with some other ailments that wouldn’t really do well with working out hard. What do you do for work? Are you sure it’s carpal tunnel, or other issues that have carpal tunnel like symptoms?

 

[endobear]

I've been a painter for 28 years. Plus I've broken some bones and dislocated my shoulders snowboarding and dirt biking.
Not 100% sure it's carpal tunnel yet. I suppose the EMG test will confirm.
For the last 10 years or so I've been mostly managing my crew. Only jumping to help once a week. Since covid hit. My guys all quit and im back to slinging paint.

 

[MK1MOD0]

I’ve know a few people that had the surgery. Sid it was the best thing they could have done. It’s a simple surgery, and very effective.

 

[Looking Glass]

Back, when living in the Midwest IBP Iowa Beef Processors, Now Tyson Foods Carpal was a Word that brought Terror to the Executives of the Company. All the workers in the "Line" that were in a repetitive meat cutting job often were victims. Itcaused all kinds of problems in the entire Industry.

What line of work are you in? Good Luck!!

 

[monkeyswrench]

I don't know about carpal tunnel. I have numbness, they called it neuropathy, more than pain. In my case, it is nerve damage from breaking my neck. It starts just above the elbow, more triceps side. Occasionally, I'll get "zingers", feels like lightning out my finger tips. In my case, fatigue makes it much worse. Taking breaks, and stretching my shoulder and hand seem to help a bit, but it's always there.

 

[Dettom]

I had carpal tunnel in my right wrist from a combination of drywall taping in my younger years and a lifetime of riding motorcycles. When they did the outpatient surgery, it was life changing.

 

[boatdoc55]

I’ve know a few people that had the surgery. Sid it was the best thing they could have done. It’s a simple surgery, and very effective.

This right here!! My wife dealt with it for years because of decades of softball as a catcher. She did the massage therapy, the Edward scissor hands like gloves stuff, slept with her hands hanging down off the bed and finally had the surgery. BEST thing she ever did. Best I remember they wanted to wait a month between but when she was to go back for a check-up on the first hand they went ahead and did the second hand then and they have been perfect since, maybe 15 years or so.

 

[PlanB]

I have had surgery on both wrists and both worked great. If you tap on the inside of your wrist you should get some pain if it's carpal tunnel. The EEG will confirm it though. Mine was caused by years of weight lifting and the surgeries were easy.

 

[monkeyswrench]

... the Edward scissor hands like gloves stuff...

WTF are these?!

 

[bilz]

Wife has had both hands done. No pain except with excessive use.

 

[port austin pirate]

Been dealing with my hands going numb at work for years. It's now so bad I wake up 7-9 times a night with numb hands and pain in the rest of my arm. Painful to the point it hurts to open a cabinet drawer in the morning. Getting weaker, dropsies. My ortho doc did exrays and says I have bone spurs and scar tissue in my shoulders that I need to deal with at some point and found bone on bone arthritis in my spine/neck pinching the ner es to my hands. Sent me to spine doctor. Spine doctor says yeah., you have arthritis in your neck but that's not what he thinks is causing my hand arm issues. Pains in the wrong spot.
Going in for electromygram (emg) tomorrow.
I'm sure some inmates here have delt with it. Any advice on dealing with it?

Have it in both hands, let it go to long and deeply regret it get the surgery, in the meantime you will get relief and much less, pain en discomfort if you wear wrist braces at night when you sleep, this took away my pain and made life normal for years, but in the end surgery is the answer

 

[Ragged Edge]

I've had the EMG done and for me it was not a big deal, a little uncomfortable but not high on the pain scale. Yes, I have carpal tunnel in both wrists. The night time braces did not work for me, made the pain exponentially worse, they do work for some people though. I use Voltaren pain relief cream on my hands/wrists before bed and that has helped but I still wake up several times a night and have to flex my hands/wrists to get the pain/tingling to stop. I know I have to do the surgery but currently can't have (don't want) the down time. It's always something.

 

[Desert Whaler]

The drummer for the Smut Peddlers, 'Julia' had it done, she was in a ton of pain . . . she said it's waaay better now.

 

[Waterjunky]

As the down side, My grandmother had the surgery, they messed it up and damaged the nerve in her right hand. She was right handed and it almost fully ended the usefulness of her right hand. I realize the odds are in your favor but be aware it is not always perfect.

 

[endobear]

I've had the EMG done and for me it was not a big deal, a little uncomfortable but not high on the pain scale. Yes, I have carpal tunnel in both wrists. The night time braces did not work for me, made the pain exponentially worse, they do work for some people though. I use Voltaren pain relief cream on my hands/wrists before bed and that has helped but I still wake up several times a night and have to flex my hands/wrists to get the pain/tingling to stop. I know I have to do the surgery but currently can't have (don't want) the down time. It's always something.

Im a big old puss when it comes to needles. Not looking forward to the EMG at all.. Especially after 2 different docs say its painful.
So I've been trying the wrist braces at night. Works a little on my left hand arm. Totally makes it worse on my dominant right hand.
Without the braces I can work it out pretty quickly and fall back asleep usually.

 

[endobear]

As the down side, My grandmother had the surgery, they messed it up and damaged the nerve in her right hand. She was right handed and it almost fully ended the usefulness of her right hand. I realize the odds are in your favor but be aware it is not always perfect.

That's no good. As a painter I need my hands to make a living.

 

[endobear]

I have had surgery on both wrists and both worked great. If you tap on the inside of your wrist you should get some pain if it's carpal tunnel. The EEG will confirm it though. Mine was caused by years of weight lifting and the surgeries were easy.

How long was the recovery?

 

[PlanB]

How long was the recovery?

I was pretty good after a couple of weeks. I would say 6 weeks total before I was fully back to normal.

 

[rrrr]

As usual, this is something I unfortunately know too much about.

If the issue is actually in the carpal tunnel area, surgery to relieve the pressure is effective. However, because of how you describe your symptoms, it's likely the issue is due to radiculopathy, a narrowing of the spinal nerve channels in your neck where the arm nerves exit the spinal cord and pass through the cervical vertebrae. The EMG measures the amount of time it takes for the electrical impulses to travel from your spinal cord to the hands, and pinpoints the area of nerve impingement.

If the EMG shows impingement on your medial and ulnar nerves at the C-5,6,7 vertebrae, the first treatment is an epidural steroidal injection, or ESI, in the facet joints of the vertabrae. The steroid injection reduces inflammation of the nerves, and the improvement lasts anywhere from three weeks to three months.

If the ESI gives relief from the tingling sensation, the next step is a rhizotomy. The rhizotomy applies radio frequency ablation to the inflamed nerves, reducing them in size where they pass through the cervical vertebrae and thus relieving the pressure on them which causes the tingling in the hands.

In cases where the radiculopathy is advanced, surgery may be required, and a typical procedure is an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). This procedure installs titanium and polyethylene cages between the neck vertabrae, which increases the space available for nerve passage, and fuses the cervical vertebrae in the affected areas to make the spacing permanent. It's only used in cases where the radiculopathy is severe and the other methods I mentioned are ineffective.

I just had a second rhizotomy done. The healing process is slow, it takes about six weeks for the pain from the procedure to resolve, and then the tingling in the hands subsides.

By the way, the EMG isn't that big of a deal. It's a little uncomfortable, but it doesn't involve much pain.

 

[boatdoc55]

WTF are these?!

From what I remember, like was said above glove like things that put a little tension on the hands at night. Didn't work a bit and prolonged her wait for the surgery. INO, anyone with this problem should just have it done and be done with it. It leaves a very small, faint scar, woopty doo!!

 

[Javajoe]

My friend just had his done

 

[port austin pirate]

used good wrist braces and did work well for me, couple of other things I forgot to mention the carpal will affect the thumb and first two fingers, little finger and next not much you will lose a lot of the feelings in the upper fingers and thumb if you wait to long to have the surgery. they say we tend to bend the wrist by putting it up under our chin when sleeping pinching the nerve braces stop the wrist from bending, everybody seems to be a little different havnt had the surgery so no personal info, But as I said I now have lost a great deal of feeling in both hands in thumbs en fingers mentioned above good luck hope you can get back to normal

 

[DrunkenSailor]

Buddy called his hand the stranger dominatrix. He had surgery a couple years back and is much better. I will ask what his exact issue was. All I can remember is the stupid nickname he gave to his hand.

 

[OLDRAAT]

Had left hand/arm done in February prior to the Covid restrictions and it was worth it.
The EEG is a pain in the ass, but it defines the problems. My incisions were small; below the palm and one below my elbow.
Still let's me know when I overwork it, but is 100% better than leaving it as was).

My right hand was also hurting before the operation, but that was due to it making up for the weak Left arm.

Get it fixed and don't look back. It's a big quality of life issue.

 

[endobear]

Had the EMG. Have carpal tunnel in both wrists. Plus some nerve damage in the nerve that controls strength to my hands. Got to talk to the doctor next week to get more info and a referral to a hand surgeon.
Doc that did the test wouldn't really tell me much. He did mention they may want to do the surgery on both wrists at the same time. That will be wonderful .
Told the wife she may need to wipe my ass for a couple weeks. She wasn't amused or sure if I was joking

 

[Gelcoater]

Had the EMG. Have carpal tunnel in both wrists. Plus some nerve damage in the nerve that controls strength to my hands. Got to talk to the doctor next week to get more info and a referral to a hand surgeon.
Dic that did the test wouldn't really tell me much. He did mention they may want to do the surgery on both wrists at the same time. That will be wonderful .
Told the wife she may need to wipe my ass for a couple weeks. She wasn't amused or sure if I was joking

Is this some kind of ploy to evade running your CR against my Banshee this season?

 

[Gelcoater]

I’m glad you at least know what’s going on and it doesn’t involve back/neck surgery. That’s scary shit.

 

[Sandlord]

Had the EMG. Have carpal tunnel in both wrists. Plus some nerve damage in the nerve that controls strength to my hands. Got to talk to the doctor next week to get more info and a referral to a hand surgeon.
Doc that did the test wouldn't really tell me much. He did mention they may want to do the surgery on both wrists at the same time. That will be wonderful .
Told the wife she may need to wipe my ass for a couple weeks. She wasn't amused or sure if I was joking

I had the surgery, both arms at the same time. Recovery was quick. Didn’t need help with anything. But a word of advise, don’t do pull-ups for a few months. Then, no matter how many you were doing before, you start with a goal of 1.

 

[Gelcoater]

I had the surgery, both arms at the same time. Recovery was quick. Didn’t need help with anything. But a word of advise, don’t do pull-ups for a few months. Then, no matter how many you were doing before, you start with a goal of 1.

So reading between the lines here, no climbing ladders for quite a while.
Endo, you’re going to need to put together a team for the job sites for a few months, it seems.

 

[PlanB]

Had the EMG. Have carpal tunnel in both wrists. Plus some nerve damage in the nerve that controls strength to my hands. Got to talk to the doctor next week to get more info and a referral to a hand surgeon.
Doc that did the test wouldn't really tell me much. He did mention they may want to do the surgery on both wrists at the same time. That will be wonderful .
Told the wife she may need to wipe my ass for a couple weeks. She wasn't amused or sure if I was joking

They would not do both of mine at the same time. It would have been a lot easier that way...

 

[Carlson-jet]

Not reading through all this.
My Pops did it at about 45. He was like a new person.
Friend from work who was a bit over weight and late forties went to the local hospital for the surgery and never walked out.
I say go for it. You have a 50/50 chance for relief. I could see the quality of life in my dads eyes.
The Anesthesiologist it your best friend during a surgery. Shake his/ her hand and look them in the eye and get a good reading before any procedure. If you feel uncomfortable, walk out.

 

[PlanB]

^^^ I have had 10 surgeries, and that is always the person I request to talk to before any procedure. I ask specifically what drug combos they will be using. They probably think I am a little weird, but I have had some issues while I was under a couple of times.

 

[endobear]

Is this some kind of ploy to evade running your CR against my Banshee this season?

So reading between the lines here, no climbing ladders for quite a while.
Endo, you’re going to need to put together a team for the job sites for a few months, it seems.

Probably going to be April before I can get the surgery so I'll have e plenty of time to run against your Shee.

Still having a hard time finding help. Hired another 2 guys the week before Christmas. Worked ok for 2 days. Now stroking it. I'm already sick of their BS.
Tough to find good reliable painter s.

 

[endobear]

So you guys that have had or know
someone that had the surgery, did any of you /them try any serious physical therapy before resorting to surgery?

 

[boatdoc55]

So you guys that have had or know
someone that had the surgery, did any of you /them try any serious physical therapy before resorting to surgery?

The type of work my wife was in at the time, 17 years prior, 8 years after. was landscaping. I think I would put that in the class of serious physical therapy. Her tools of choice, square point, round point and trenching!! Just schedule the surgery and be done with it.

 

[endobear]

Had the surgery Friday. All good so far.
Very little pain. Just a little sore.
Once the numbness from surgery went away my hand hasn't gone numb again.
Winnning...

 

[Looking Glass]

Not reading through all this.
My Pops did it at about 45. He was like a new person.
Friend from work who was a bit over weight and late forties went to the local hospital for the surgery and never walked out.
I say go for it. You have a 50/50 chance for relief. I could see the quality of life in my dads eyes.
The Anesthesiologist it your best friend during a surgery. Shake his/ her hand and look them in the eye and get a good reading before any procedure. If you feel uncomfortable, walk out.

It's a "TAD" late @ that Point.

 

[Gelcoater]

Had the surgery Friday. All good so far.
Very little pain. Just a little sore.
Once the numbness from surgery went away my hand hasn't gone numb again.
Winnning...

one handed typing are you?

 

[redone76]

Had the surgery Friday. All good so far.
Very little pain. Just a little sore.
Once the numbness from surgery went away my hand hasn't gone numb again.
Winnning...

Had both my hands done within 2 weeks. That was 6 weeks ago and I have been pain and numbness free. Nice to hold a wrench without them cramping up!

 

[endobear]

"Wow"is all I can say.
Fingers and forearm feel so much better.
Sleeping better.
Still not really using it like normal yet but I can tell it's getting better everyday.
Idk if it's the 3 weeks taking it easy, the better sleep or the actual surgery but I feel 10 years younger.