Carpal Tunnel, treatments?

[scottmandue]

My right hand is going numb and tingling... so I did something crazy.

I talked to my doctor...

Who sent me to a specialist that tested my arms and concluded yes indeed I have Carpal Tunnel... He gave me a brace to wear when I sleep that helped, but apparently the only other treatment is surgery (in his opinion) and he didn't feel I needed that... yet. Which is a good thing because the surgery looks pretty scary (well... I guess all surgery looks scary) but cutting open my wrists and whittling away at the callouses built up around the nerves... yikes!

Anyone else have this? Any other treatment other than brace and/or surgery?

Thanks

[GH85Carrera]

Back off the on-line porn and give your right hand a rest.

[red-beard]

I suggest you look for a specialist who can do the "Brown" procedure, which is orthoscopic.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment | Hand Doctor

[pavulon]

Have not seen it done with a scope but the traditional surgery is about 5-10 minutes long. Obviously recovery is longer but of all the surgeries a person can have done, this one is about as safe and straight forward as it gets. Few folks "want" the risks and pain of surgery but if you decide this is what you need, rest easy.

[masraum]

I assume it's due to mucho computer use? I don't know that this would reverse anything, but it should help keep it from getting worse. Do some research into ergonomic workstation setup. If you use a mouse a lot, trade it in for a trackball. Get a better keyboard. Once you've found stuff that you are more comfortable with at home, get another set for work.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by masraum

I assume it's due to mucho computer use?

I presume it was 10 years of working as a HVAC installer, cutting holes in walls and roofs with a sawzal, cutting sheet metal with tin snips for ten years, swinging a hammer, shooting ten million sheet metal screws with power drill.

Posting to PPOT is about the most computer use is do... I'm a tech but 80% of the job is repairs.

[NY65912]

I had seen a hand surgeon at HSS in NYC twice, once in 2010 and 2011. I was using my hand as a hammer and the carpal tunnel was damaged. It felt as though it was going to explode with pain up to the elbow. The doc did a timed nerve test and it confirmed significant loss of transmission. He wanted to do surgery.

I took NSAID's and wore a hand brace for CT. Within a few months it started to get better, slowly but better. After six months it was 99% gone. Now after two years it is gone.

I am now much more aware of how I use and position my right hand. No more using it as a hammer trying to push a sheetrock saw into some rock to cut.

I've worked my entire life with tools, hammer drills, chopping guns, drills etc. For the past 18 years at a desk all day on a computer.

Just my .02˘

[Tobra]

You can get it from adjusting the valves on too many 914s, I can tell you that.


I think one of the guys from LA is an ortho hand guy, will probably be along presently. The brace will help, be consistent. Change whatever repetitive use stuff you are doing.

[jcommin]

If you are a heavy computer user, I would look at your workstation. Lower the keyboard, adjust monitor and get a better chair. I have used braces, both hands at night time and it does help. If you are doing the same thing (repetitive motion), alter your habits by changing the task, walking away for 30 minutes and stretch your fingers, wrists and arms.

If surgery is your only option, my question to you is what will do differently so that it doesn't re-occur.

[notmytarga]

As stated - the surgery is a simple one. Ask around for who the physical therapists recommend. I had a 'sufferer' demonstrate some stretches she was taught. Put your palms together with your wrists at right angles (looks like a dancer in Thailand) and flex your finger tips at each joint for some reps. The tendons that flex your fingers run through the same limited space in the wrist (the tunnel) as the median nerve. Doing this move as a habit/therapy helps some people. Hope you improve.

[pitargue]

Acupuncture worked for me. And I'm a SW guy that's on a keyboard pretty much all day, every day...

[scottmandue]

I am not opting for surgery at this time...

I don't do data entry so no, I do not sit at a computer all day... (although my PPOT habits may indicate otherwise). For instance I just got back from installing a camera in a interactive exhibit.

Wearing the brace at night has helped, thinking of getting another one to wear at work to remind me not to use the right hand so much.

I'm on Calpers Blue Shield so I have limited options as far as medical (surgery).

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Back off the on-line porn and give your right hand a rest.

Damn, that didn't take long.
BTW that's the first response that came to mind when I opened this thread, but I tole my seff there's no way it hasn't already been posted.

[imcarthur]

For me, it WAS right hand repetitive mousing. No, not porn but work. I lowered my desk & bought a chair with arms (aka level playing field) & a wrist support. It helped but no solution. I ended up switching mouse hands & now I totally mouse with my left (wrong) hand. Solved.

Ian

[Rikao4]

if the brace brought you some relief this quickly..
stick with it ..
while sleeping you must really be bending your wrist..

Rika

[Len 911]

I had surgery and would do it again in a hartbeat. The pain went right away and it was done in 10 min, The doc cut a 1/2" opening and inserted a thin rod and when he pulled it out a small blade stood up and cut the opening bigger for the tennon to move better, Done very easy and well worth it

Len

[John Rogers]

My wife had both wrists operated on nearly 15 years ago and all pain and weakness went away after a short period of rehabilitation and therapy. She was getting so she had very little strength in both hands and very little movement.

I had "claw hand" surgery done on my right hand, two smaller fingers and at the same time had "trigger finger" surgery since the first finger was really snapping badly and it was getting impossible to do any accurate shooting. Took about two weeks and all was better than new.

The actual surgery in both our cases was not very involved using local deading but we were both put to sleep so we would not bother the doc with all sorts of questions!

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

For me, it WAS right hand repetitive mousing. No, not porn but work. I lowered my desk & bought a chair with arms (aka level playing field) & a wrist support. It helped but no solution. I ended up switching mouse hands & now I totally mouse with my left (wrong) hand. Solved.

Ian

I am right handed and switched to left hand mousing six to ten years ago.

Have any of you used tin snips? Imagine doing that every day for a decade... plus cutting holes at awkward angles in plywood with a sawzall to run vent and duct work through walls and ceilings... and probably a hundred miles of rectangular metal duct pounded together with a sheet metal hammer... pretty sure typing on the computer is the least of my problems.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

I am right handed and switched to left hand mousing six to ten years ago.

About the same for me too. I don't even think about it anymore because it has become natural.

Good luck btw. I know how debilitating it is & how helpless you feel.

Ian

[scottmandue]

Thanks Ian,

Maybe surgery is in my future.. but first I will try wearing the brace at night (haven't been good about doing that every night) and maybe even look into buying another one to wear at work.