Carpal tunnel syndrome

[Gina]

I have been having sleeplness nights for about three nights now. I wake up with severe pain in my thumb and then I go numb in my fingers. After I wake up I start excersing my fingers to make it feel better. I fall asleep and about every two to three hrs. this awakes me.

I went to a IMO office this morning and just want I suspected I have Carpal tunnel syndrome. The dr. ordered me two wrists splints to sleep in for two weeks , then to follow up with my doctor. Just what I need.. lol I am trying not to type or use the computer for hrs. on end. So I may be not posting much but will be reading... Has anyone suffered from this?, it seems to be common and so painful ?

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers...

I appreciate it..

[goofywife]

Oh my. I don't have any experience with this, but we as much time as I spend on the internet, that would be hard. I am sorry you are going through this.

[Janet]

I have this somewhat. When I worked at Frito Lay, everyone had it, because of the repetitious movements packing and such. Since I don't work there anymore, it has lightened somewhat. Mostly now, my hands go numb reading the paper, book or when I sleep.

Mine isn't painful however. There is a surgery they do to help this. There is like a ring that goes around your wrist area, they go in and cut this and it is suppose to help. I don't know if I'll ever have it done unless it gets really bad for me.

Hope it doesn't bother you too bad Gina!!

[katcarasella]

Wow, you're falling apart at the seams, Let me get my needle and thread and fix you right up.

Seriously though, I'm sorry to hear this! I'll put you back on my prayer list
Haven't you been through enough this past couple months?
How is your mouth doing?
to you.

[DianaB]

Gina, I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble with your wrist too. That's a bummer. I have a little trouble with mine too. Take ibuphrofen for about three days, not just when you hurt but every 4 hours and it will help with the inflamation and you'll feel better.

[Marilyn]

Gina, so sorry you are going through this. I have the same problem and wear wrist splints at night. My right side is worse than the left, and my whole arm will go numb and become very painful. I thought for sure it was my neck, that I had a nerve that was getting pinched when I sleep. They did a nerve study in January, and it was determined to be carpel tunnel. I couldn't believe that a pinched nerve in my hand could hurt all the way to my shoulder until the first night I wore the splints. I slept through the night without pain or numbness. Not all nights are so good. I still have problems. I had an appointment with a surgeon on January 18th, but got a stomach virus that day and did not get to see him. I haven't gotten around to rescheduling the appointment, and will wait now to have the surgery until after Melissa's wedding.

There is a type of surgery now that they do with minimal incision, and that's the kind I want. I'm going to the best hand surgeon in our area, and if he can't do that procedure, I'm going to Houston. They say you can have it done with no stitches and be back up and going very quickly.

I've researched it on line, and if they do the longer incision, people complain that the incision bothers them for some time, and I can see how it would on your hands. You use them so much and have them in and out of water all the time.

Hope you get better, and if you have to have the surgery, that it goes well!!

[Forgivenmom5]

Sorry you are going through this Gina.

[teri88]

I had carpal tunnel in both wrists. I had the surgery but it didn't help at all! Try going to a chiropractor before you have surgery. I wish I'd done that first! Hopefully just wearing the splints will help...but if you can see a chiropractor I HIGHLY recommend it.

[Marilyn]

Teri, I asked two chiropractors about it, and they had no suggestions. I think there may be some kind of massage for it, but I haven't checked that out. When I meet with the surgeon, before I do anything else, I will ask what the success rate is of the surgery. The splints help quite a bit, so at least in my case it's not as urgent as it was before the splints.

Gina, have you checked with a chiropractor? If you find one that helps, please let me know. It's definitely worth checking into.

Gina, so hoping that the splints will help you!! Mine are cheap ones from Walmart, nothing special order, but they sure do help!! Please stay in touch so we can learn from each other.

Another thing that helps is an idea that I found on line. Elevating your hands on pillows, and resting your lower palms on cold packs when you go to bed. It reduces the inflamation and thus the pressure on the nerves. Hope this helps!!

[Gina]

I went out to a surgical supply store and brought the cock up wrist splints . I slept ok last night waking up but not from pain. I hope these work. The dr. told me to use this for two weeks, if it doesn't get better to see my dr. I also am taking Diana's advice and taking mortin just to get the inflamation down.

Marilyn, I am sorry to hear about your situation. It is not fun at all. Terri I am sorry to hear that your surgery was not a success. I hope I do not need surgery, I feel that I have been sleeping on my hands and that is what is causing it. Being I had the dental implants I don't sleep on that side and I could never get comfortable so I use my hands to prop up my pillow...

Terri I will keep the chiropractor in mind, mine just starting a few nights ago. I never had a problem before. Marilyn I elevate my hands on pillow at night too, I will try the ice. Thanks, hopefully this will pass for us all.

[HALEY]

Oh Gina, i feel your pain, i developed carpal tunnel when i was 5 months pregnant, it was terrible, i couldn't sleep the pain was just unbearable, and add being pregnant on top of that, i was so miserable, and my stupid doctor wouldn't put me on disability, so picture me, i have to lift samples at work in the dead of winter, 5 months pregnant, with two splints on my wrist, puking every morning.. and people ask me if i'm going to have another child ! Are they crazy !!!

What kinda worked for me is the first thing in the morning i took a hot shower and just messaged my wrist, and when i went to bed i put my splints on and stuck pillow's under them.. It's sad there is ready nothing you can do with carpal tuneel unless you get surgery and that's not 100% ...
Good luck girl, i wish you all the best, you might want to try therapy first.

[Gina]

Haley, wow that must have been terrible being pregant and having carpal tunnel. At least I can take a motrin or a pill. Has yours subsided since you gave birth?. The last few nights since I have worn the wrists splints I have been better. I also have the mouse pad with that hump on the end...lol I don't know what they call it. This way my wrist doesnt hang over..

I was told by the EMO to wear it for two weeks to bed and then see how I feel. I don't know if I should go to a hand specialist ever thou it feels better. I will call and ask....


If it didn't go away surgery would be my last result believe me lol. I think since I have been sleeping on my hands due to my dental implants and not wanting to put pressure on my side of mouth. I think and hope it is a temporary thing. Laying on my hands I bet caused it.. I will see, right now not bad at all. Thanks.

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by Gina

Haley, wow that must have been terrible being pregant and having carpal tunnel. At least I can take a motrin or a pill. Has yours subsided since you gave birth?. The last few nights since I have worn the wrists splints I have been better. I also have the mouse pad with that hump on the end...lol I don't know what they call it. This way my wrist doesnt hang over..

I was told by the EMO to wear it for two weeks to bed and then see how I feel. I don't know if I should go to a hand specialist ever thou it feels better. I will call and ask....


If it didn't go away surgery would be my last result believe me lol. I think since I have been sleeping on my hands due to my dental implants and not wanting to put pressure on my side of mouth. I think and hope it is a temporary thing. Laying on my hands I bet caused it.. I will see, right now not bad at all. Thanks.

Oh Gina it was terrible! it took about three months after i had the baby to get the feeling back in my fingers, i couldn't even test his bottles to see if they were to hot, i had to drink the formula to test it, and that didnt' taste good at all!
when he woke up at night was the hardest, i had to hurry and pull my wrist bands off and couldn't feel my fingers and try to make a bottle and pick him out of bed, it was a nightmare for the first three months after he was born, dressing him was also a nightmare. but slowly i got all the feelings back in my fingers,
i bought a rubber ball and kept squezzing it at night, everynight i did this and when he took his naps.
but Gina try therapy first.. i just heard bad things about surgery with carpel tunnel, alot of people said they had to go back and get it done a second time.
try buying a ball and exercise your wrist.. That help me alot....

[Gina]

Thanks Haley for the good advice. I feel pretty good now that I am wearing the wrists splints at night... No pain.. I am afraid to talk.. Sorry you had to go through that...

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by Gina

Thanks Haley for the good advice. I feel pretty good now that I am wearing the wrists splints at night... No pain.. I am afraid to talk.. Sorry you had to go through that...

Your welcome Gina, hope it helps.
It was hell, but so worth it.. my Micah was worth the pain...
You can also take Motrin when it flares up, it will take the swelling down.
I couldn't take anything.. that was the bad part