LymeNet Flash: anyone had carpal tunnel ?

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»	LymeNet Flash » Questions and Discussion » General Support » anyone had carpal tunnel ?

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Topic: anyone had carpal tunnel ?

hopeful123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3244

posted

hey all,

as the lyme is lapsing after a brief set back, and i'm looking forward to a robust and healthy life, i find my carpal tunnel is just awful.

i went to a surgeon about a month ago and have another appointment to see him next week. question - experiences with anti-inflamatories and/or surgery for this?

some people get numbness, i get severe arm pain which is so intense i can't sleep. a couple of times i had tingling and numbness. that wasn't much fun.

scared of surgery, but cannot have this level of pain continuing.

at work they adjusted my keyboard so i am more ergonomic.

hopeful123

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some days you're the bug, some days you're the windshield

Posts: 1160 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2002 | IP: Logged |

Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374

posted

I know a massage therapist and a Feldenkrais practitioner both of whom have cured carpal tunnel in people without surgery.

I would definitely recommend looking at the massage therapy route first. You want somebody who has experience curing carpal tunnel, not just a run of the mill massage therapist.

I've heard cases where people get surgery and the pain doesn't go away. So I believe surgery should always be a last option. But in the carpal tunnel world, it's usually the first option given.

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"When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison

Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged |

bettyg
Unregistered

posted

my carpal tunnel was really bad in 1987; wore those wrist splints on both hands all day.

sometimes wore them to bed at night; eventually got MUCH BETTER on its own! NO SURGERY.

they hurt at night, but i elevate my hands on a pillow ... it'stolerable.

good luck.
my former co-worker had both hands worked on; didn't work for him at all; AWFUL, illegible writing to try to type his work. [Frown]

IP: Logged |

just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129

posted

Been there, done that,

Before I knew I had lyme The thought was this is what is wrong with hands,fit all sterotype, got the tests done, yep you have it BAD!!!

Surgery on both hands 6 weeks apart. last one was on Febr.14th,my present I guess was wife dropped me off at the door and said have a nice day,had surgery and she WAS nice enough to give me ride home afterwards.(they wouldnt let ME drive)

6 months later went back to surgeon,,,complained of further pain,,,he said cant be,,,you must just need further healing,,,. Now I know what I really had was the OA from the lyme. Surgeon didnt even x-ray hands,,before or after surgery.

I guess it may have helped the carpal tunnel a bit BUT I was facing much more challenges from no cartilage in any hand bone.

Have you tried the carpal tunnel stretch???? Hand in front of you ,,,palm down,fingers up. Take other hand and push fingers up and back so it stretches your underside forearm muscles and tendons. Doing this OFTEN enough will counteract the effects of shortening from keyboard use etc.

There are excercises that help prevent the surgery,,,I think they even have a 'scope' type surgery which is much less invasive. Easier too!!Hope this helps some small waycause I am still--just don--

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just don

Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged |

hopeful123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3244

posted

thanks aniek, betty and just d

i had my wrists xrayed and it showed a little bit of oa, but he said that wasn't causing the pain, etc. there is a little pad of flesh on the outer palms which is near the thumb. it's supposed to be nice and plump and mine is flat as a pancake on one hand and only a little better on the other. that's caused by the nerve impulses being blocked by the tunnel they pass through.

i have worn the splint and taken anti-inflamatories which worked in the past - maybe two-three years ago. doesn't do it now. can't do the exercise without screaming. i live in the country and finding a massage therapist who is worth anything is difficult, let alone a specialist in hands and wrists.

i realize that i wanted stories of successful surgeries to calm me down. i don't think i can take another route unless i'm prepared never to quilt again, let alone do all the things necessary to keep my job.

i'm glad yours got better, betty. sorry just that you're having problems post-surgery and you're not even sure you should have had it in the first place.

i do know some 3-d people who had the surgery, but none of them the endoscopic (less invasive) form of it.

thanks again all for taking the time. i appreciate it. i will update y'all.
[loco]

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some days you're the bug, some days you're the windshield

Posts: 1160 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2002 | IP: Logged |

Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374

posted

hopeful,

I've definitely heard of people improving on surgery. I just wanted to share the other options.

Good luck. And get some stronger pain meds if you need.

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"When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison

Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged |

just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129

posted

I forgot to address the pain you said 'above' the wrist. It is sorta unusual to have much of that. There is also a nerve compression of the elbow also,,,and another of the neck,,,and your problems could be coming from THAT area.

I sure would want a great explanantion of why higher than compression site BEFORE surgery,,cause it may NOT be that at all.

Before I had my ct sugery I guess I had the weird sxs and bought their lame excuse too. Sure it isnt lyme, muscles, tendon,connective tissue probs related??

Anyway I thought I had connective tissue disease(Before I knew I had lyme) ,,,it sure was similiar, cept an expert said no cant be cause you HAVE to have RA instead of OA for that!! Then I thought I either had elbow or neck nerve compression,,,felt like it. I was on some hospital medical questions board then.(Massachuttes General Hospital, I think)

I then got refered over here by somebody!!

After I knew what I really had all the sxs,,, fell right into place!!! Make sure you head down the right path, instead of some docs golden roadway!!!ib --just don--

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just don

Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged |

concerned mother
LymeNet Contributor
Member # 8128

posted

I have it pretty bad and use the piano every day at my work. I wear braces each night when I go to bed and it has really helped me.

Good Luck

Amy

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Amy Holloway

Posts: 255 | From Michigan | Registered: Oct 2005 | IP: Logged |

hopeful123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3244

posted

thank you again for all of your support, advice and time... [kiss]

it is unusual to have your entire arms hurt, but not unheard of ... not the shoulders or neck, but from there, down.

i have tried the anti-inflammatory and splints at night and that doesn't work if i do repetitious activity. i have such weakness in my right hand that i can't really cary a mug of coffee. i can manage a paper mug, but not ceramic.

i know i have a high tolerance for pain since when i had a total hip replacement 7 1/2 years ago, the senovial fluid was entirely gone and it was bone against bone by the time i went to a orthopedist. i didn't go earlier because it was excrutiating enough and because the pcp i was seeing then, said it looked like (xrays) i had another year to go. because i was so young then (ha!) they didn't want to hurry the replacement along.

anyhoo...i don't think i can live this way. afraid to do too much because it will trigger enormous inflammation and pain.

i trust the surgeon. he attended my boss's son's leg broken in two places and my boss thinks he's great. small town. other people as well think highly of him.

thanks again and again and again [bow]

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some days you're the bug, some days you're the windshield

Posts: 1160 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2002 | IP: Logged |

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