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Thumb Muscle Atrophy due to CTS

Posted , 5 users are following.

graham83445
graham83445

Diagnosed 12 years agowith CTS on my right dominant hand, Doctor said steroid injections better than surgery, but after the 3rd one when the doctor put the needle in my nerve i never had anotjhe till about 3 years ago which was useless- he did tell me it was too far gone. Finally had surgery 6 months ago at at the pre op consultation he pointed out my loss of muscle  around my thunb area, which Inhad actuallly had noticed. I had been wieght training daily, doing muay thai, and all felt fine. After the op, the excrutiating numbness felt better within 2 weeks, However since then it has detoirated and I would say the numbness is worse than before-middle finger is just numb constantly from top to bottom, and fr the first time I noticed an effect on my little finger, I seem to have no control and cannot close it to my wedding finger. Worse is I now cannot even turn the key in the car ignition, any kind of gripping using thumb and ndex finger is impossible and my wrist aches coonstantly and swells up after a period using a mouse,  I have read there is another surgery available for this but it sounds both expensive and dangerous. I have searched everywhere for any specific excercises that may buildmthe muscle back up and  get my hand working again but nothing-just the ball  gripping which nis more for the wrist. Anyone any ideas. I NEED my right hand to work!

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • graham83445
    graham83445

    Posted

    Sorry for typing errors, Fingers so numb its also hard to type!
  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname graham83445

    Posted

    You need to stop, rest, elevate, ice, and ice some more.

    CTS surgical release is great, but you must wait until you are completely recovered...about 12-15 months before you take up strenous activity.

    Every time you force the swelling, you compress the nerve and you do more damage. Nerves are not replaceable. You are having difficulty with the radial nerve, the median nerve, and the ulnar nerve.

    Every nerve, and all of the tendons so very much is going on at the wrist. If it were not for the band that holds everything flat, your arm would look like a pelican's pouch.

    You need to locate the best hand specialist you can. Look for an esteemed university with a medical school with an associated hospital and clinic.

    • jeremydpbland
      jeremydpbland ihavenonickname

      Posted

      ... and your qualifications for giving this advice are? 12-15 months of nt using the arm for anything strenuous is at least as likely to do harm as help. I have no idea what 'force the swelling' means - if the transverse carpal ligament has been adequately divided then there is no longer anything to compress the nerve. CTS is, by definition, a problem with the median nerve, NOT the ulnar and radial nerves - if you have ulnar or radial nerve problems as well as CTS then you have multiple diseases - in much the same way that you can have, for example, both diabetes and glaucoma. If you do have multiple peripheral nerve problems then it's a good idea to get checked out by a neurologist in case there is an underlying problem predisposing to nerve entrapments but most people with CTS just have CTS and their ulnar and radial nerves are perfectly normal. Nerves are, in a sense 'replaceable' - if you cut them they do actually grow back, unlike the brain and spinal cord, though a variety of processes can impair their ability to recover. About the only valid advice in that posting is the comment about trying to use a university hospital. Sorry ihave nonickname but I am afraid you really do not know what you are talking about here. Dr J Bland

    • ihavenonickname
      ihavenonickname jeremydpbland

      Posted

      I bet you are not a medical doctor, that takes way too much education. I bet you are a chiropractor! Chiropractors always stress Dr. as though that is part of their name. Dr J Bland. Most people do not realize that a baccalaureate is not required.

      Read what was written. thumb, middle finger, little finger. This is a weight trainer.

    • jeremydpbland
      jeremydpbland ihavenonickname

      Posted

      Take the trouble to look me up. It's easily done. I am a medical doctor who has spent more then 25 years researching CTS, published extensively on the disorder, seen over 40,000 patients for suspected CTS and treated more than 10,000 cases myself... and your qualifications are? 

  • michelle06878
    michelle06878 graham83445

    Posted

    Hey graham I am curious if you had another nerve conduction test! I am having my first carpal tunnel surgery tomorrow on my right hand. My test showed damage to my muscle as well. I can also tell the difference between my left hand.

    I am just hoping my nerves will work fast enough and get to that muscle quickly.

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