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Carpal tunnel and RA

Posted , 9 users are following.

LeicesterLass
LeicesterLass

I'm being investigated for the above conditions. Although everything I read about RA seems to fit my story, including signs of carpal tunnel syndrome, the CTS-like symptoms don't seem to be "classic" in my case.

I have morning hand numbness - lately most intense in thumb, index and middle fingers - wrist aches (both hands) and sometimes a burning pain in the middle of the wrists. But this has been going on for a few months and doesn't seem to have followed the textbook CTS course. Weakness comes and goes, none of the tests to induce CTS symptoms worked and there is only minor muscle atrophy at the base of one thumb. 

I'm wondering whether CTS, when caused by RA, might be slightly different to primary CTS. Does anyone here know anything about that? 

I'm still waiting for RA blood test results. Of the tests I've had back, they show anemia, low creatinine (which I understand is harmless but sometimes linked with muscle wastage) and low monocytes (again, I don't think that is significant). ESR and CRP were in the middle of the normal range.

Thanks.

1 like, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • tiswas24537
    tiswas24537 LeicesterLass

    Posted

    i know someone who had acupunture for capertunnel and cancelled his ops 

    just a thought .

  • raralady
    raralady LeicesterLass

    Posted

    Hi LeicesterLass,

    I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel in both wrists at around the same time as my RA diagnosis. I wasn't sure if there was much point in having the carpal tunnel release surgery if the inflammation was caused by RA but the consultant was quite persuasive and convinced me that it was worth a try as it would release the pressure as my symptoms were quite bad. I went for the surgery on my right wrist which had slightly worse symptoms than the left with the idea that I would have surgery on the other wrist a couple of months later.

    My experience was that it was a complete waste of NHS money. Having any surgery isn't very nice and not being able to get the hand wet for a couple of weeks is pretty annoying but worst of all was that it didn't work so I didn't bother to have the other hand done. 

    My advice based only on my experience is ask the question 'What is the point of relieving the pressure if you're not dealing with the cause of the pressure?'. 

    Anyway, good luck with your journey and I hope you find a course of treatment that works for you.

    (I have gone down a natural route. I see a psycho-nuero-immunologist in London who has me on a strict diet and lots of supplements to heal the causes of the RA which is based around healing the gut and fixing the immune system. After one year I am down to very minor symptoms and this is from me being virtually unable to walk or even sleep as the pain was so intense. I am aiming to be fully cured in another year!)

    Like I say, I hope you find relief and the best of luck,

    raralady

    • helen263490
      helen263490 raralady

      Posted

      Hi would you be kind enough to give me the name and number of the nuero immunologist as ive been doing diet and herbal supplements but can be quite conflicting. Would love some sound advice. 
    • LeicesterLass
      LeicesterLass raralady

      Posted

      Wow, thank you. I'm glad you said that surgery was a waste of time (though sorry you had to go through it). It had crossed my mind that it would be suggested if the doctor decided I had CTS and I really don't want to go down that route if it can be avoided. It does seem like it would be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut in my case. 

      Even though I have no diagnosis for my symptoms yet, I'm glad I'm learning about RA now just in case that's what it is. I'm not worrying myself over it or talking myself into it, I'm just preparing myself. And, if it comes to it, I would definitely seek to go down a more natural treatment path. And if it's not RA... well, then I've learnt something anyway.

      Thank you.

    • bronwyn97278
      bronwyn97278 raralady

      Posted

      Hi rarlady' that's very interesting re your treatment through a Psycho=neuro-immunologist....if you are feeling so much better, it is worth anyone suffering from RA to try...it sounds a lot better/safer that the usual methotrexate etc....thanks for the information.......Bron
  • raralady
    raralady LeicesterLass

    Posted

    ps,

    following tiswas's comment (everyone is different!)

    I had 6 acupuncture sessions which were no help at all (and I really believed and wanted it to work), my acupuncturist said we should stop as it wasn't helping - but I definitely think it's worth a try as it works for some people. 

    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 raralady

      Posted

      six treatments isent enough it takes weekly treatments and about 3 months worth  . still rather do that then have the op at least first as i know everyone responds diferantly .
  • slm222
    slm222 LeicesterLass

    Posted

    I am SO glad you brought this up LeicesterLass. I don't know if I have the same thing, but let me tell you my story. My very first 'flare' (I had no idea what was wrong at the time) was my right hand getting painful in the middle of the palm. My left wrist had been hurting badly as well. 

    My hand ended up with a wrist so inflammed and swollen there was literally a ball on the upper wrist. My hand was so painful with nerve pain that I couldn't sleep. I couldn't bend any part of my fingers and the pain increased if I was lying down. 

    It lasted a good 24 hours before it started to subside. I had never had anything like that before. And my left wrist had been killing me for months. I had so many tests run, including one for carpal tunnel that all proved to be negative. This was before I was finally diagnosed with RA.

    I still have those flare up's in my hands. It will trade hands when I get them and the pain is so debilitating I can't do anything. And when I say I can't sleep, I mean ZERO sleep. As I said, lying down makes it worse and the pain is so bad, like nerve pain, that I just walk around holding my hand up with the other hand, usually in tears all night.

    Even my Rheumatologist is telilng me that 'that kind of thing isn't RA; that's Carpal tunnel Syndrome', but I am not convinced, especially since I had the testing for it and it came back negative. 

    Personally, I think it is all part of RA. This is why I love these forums. We all know what we go through because we actually deal with it. Doctors and Rheumatologists just studied it.

    Made sure when you're doing RA tests that they are checking your CCP range as well as your RF range. The CCP's are very important because they measure inflammation.

    Good luck to you!

    • LeicesterLass
      LeicesterLass slm222

      Posted

      Poor you, that sounds awful! Luckily my wrist pain isn't quite that bad but it, along with all the other pains and stiffness, is starting to wear me down.

      My doctor didn't request CCP. I don't think he is expecting my blood work to show anything, more rule things out. 

      I think whatever it is has been building up for a while and I've ignored it because the symptoms all seemed too vague to go to a doctor with. It was only when I could pinpoint a very specific problem, of having a numb hand every day, that I went to my GP and then I think I probably didn't emphasise the joint pains enough. 

    • slm222
      slm222 LeicesterLass

      Posted

      Oh, and I meant to tell you, I also would wake up (and still do sometimes) with my thumb, index and middle fingers numb. First it was my pink and ring fingers, but then it became the other 3. It's all so strange dealing with a new symptom constantly.

      If you feel up to it, I'd ask the doc to check CCP. If the RF is low that does not mean you don't have RA. Especially if you have a high CCP factor. Those are all tests that should be used to rule anything out. Just my 2 cents! smile

    • LeicesterLass
      LeicesterLass slm222

      Posted

      I am in primary care. It is my understanding that GPs are not allowed to order CCP tests, only specialists - although this may vary from trust to trust. I don't really know where this leaves you if the RF test is negative.
  • bronwyn97278
    bronwyn97278 LeicesterLass

    Posted

    Hi Leicesterlass; I have read all the other comments, so feel sure in saying that the Real Indicator for CTS, is what they call "the trigger finger"...your index finger usually gets caught in a "downward position at a 90 degrees to the remainder fingers", and is very painful and difficult to get back into normal position....so I too think, it's your RA that is the problem, and needs to be ?treated with some anti-inflammatories firstly, to take the swelling/inflammation from your wrist/s.....let us know how you get on.....I certainly would'nt be letting them operate, if there is no Certain Diagnosis of CTS, for as said by others, it is a painful recovery, and a long one.......Bron
    • LeicesterLass
      LeicesterLass bronwyn97278

      Posted

      Thanks. I sometimes have trouble straightening my index finger but the fact that it comes and goes was one of the reasons I didn't think it was proper CTS. I don't have an RA diagnosis, so I am keeping an open mind but all this information from everybody is helpful.
    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 bronwyn97278

      Posted

      get some ionic silica and take daily this is helpful for tendons and ligaments repair, and rub in magneisum oil into the back of your hand and around your wrist

      and along the finger this stuff will sting a bit but it wheres of 

      iv heard this also works for some people 

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