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Have i got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome??

Posted , 7 users are following.

martin7171
martin7171

Just looking into this Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. From descriptions that I have seen online about this problem it is normally caused by injury of some sort. Not in my case, I have always had problems with my hands flexibility. Even when I used to run (athletics) & swim for the school, college & city teams. I had coaches that always tried to get me to do press up with my hands flat on the floor. I have never been able to do that. I could only do press ups by pushing up on my knuckles. I also had problems with my hamstrings and had lots of grief over the years from trainers & coaches that I could never bend over & touch my toes even when I was probably the fittest out the team. Even with all the exercises & training. Still, it did not stop me winning lots of races. My mother had the same problem with her hands. Infact, when shopping it was easier for her to put her hand out when collecting change by for example. Normally you would use your right hand & put your hand out hand rotate it to the right so the palm was face up to to collect money. It was more comfortable for my mother to rotate her hand to the left until her palm was almost facing up, Not quite. Like I say I have always had problems with this flexiblilty in my wrists but can rotate them a bit further than my mother could but not as normal as should be. So, obviously I have genetically inherited this from my mother. Is this the same Carpel Tunnel Syndrome condition or something else?? Thanks, Marty age 43.

 

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  • elaine02726
    elaine02726 martin7171

    Posted

    CTS seems to manifest itself with strong tingling/pins and needles in your hands which wakes you in the night. I also had a horrendous pain that ran from my wrist to the tip of my middle finger. I had mild CTS this in both hands until I fell and broke my scaphoid bone. After 6weeks in plaster I was left with intense CTS in that hand.

    hope this helps

    regards Elaine

  • mark26805
    mark26805 martin7171

    Posted

    Hi Marty, great to have a forum like this so we can bounce ideas off and with each other; but as usual, we all seem to have slightly different angles on this Carpel Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and all suffer in slightly different ways. The only real test appears to be going to the Dr and getting small electrical pulses sent from your finger tips to a sensor further up your arm. They do this to every finger and end up with results to show the severity of your nerve damage. I then had a seperate test where a nurse flicked the inside of my wrist, and this caused an electric shock like feeling up my finger tips. From these test I was deemed severe in my right wrist and moderate in my left. I had the operation 9 days ago on my right wrist. I will explain my symptons in next box....
  • mark26805
    mark26805 martin7171

    Posted

    It does seem that symptons do change person to person, but in my own case i was in no real pain, but if I rode my mountain bike, after a couple of miles both my hands went "pins and needles". It would start in the ends of my 1st, 2nd and 3rd finger, working down the finger until my thumb went that way too. Surprisingly my little finger never got too bad, I can't remember that ever going when I rode my bike. Occasionally it would happen when I drove my car. I think it was the vibration of the steering that did it. This went on for a year, but reached a more painful stage went I started painting the interior of my house. After 2-3 rooms I could not feel the paint brush and would keep dropping it because I had no feelings in my hands. I also have a habit of sleeping with my hands under my pillow and would wake up with my whole hand asleep (this included my little finger and all up to wrist). This was more painful and I could not immediately get my hand back awake...trying raising it, lowering it, shaking it but it only slowly felt better. At this point I saw my Dr for advice and he arranged the tests.

    I did expect it as my Mom had both her wrists done a few years back.

  • mark26805
    mark26805 martin7171

    Posted

    Yours does not sound like the CTS that I experienced, and I did not suffer any injury at all that started it off. Pins and needles was not painful, I never needed pain killers, I was just worried that if I didn't fix it I might suffer more permanent nerve damage.

    Have you tried Yoga? It does seem that the symptons didn't stop you doing anything, just difficult to stretch like others could. Darwin might even suggest it is an evolution thing and your family genes are tryimg out a new adaption!

    • rachel92942
      rachel92942 mark26805

      Posted

      Hi Mark. How's your hand doing......I had mine done same day. I can touch all fingers now with my thumb.....just.  can't make good fist as seems thumb and first finger are too fat still :-) How does your scar feel? And have you tried to pick anything up yet ?
    • mark26805
      mark26805 rachel92942

      Posted

      Hi Rachel, yes I too can touch thunb to all fingers now... but the little finger touch is only just possible! I can make a fist, but it's quite hollow, can't clench all those fingers tightly, all my fingers are slightly swollen but it just doesn't feel like the hand is 100% mine yet!!!! Finger tips often go to sleep. I am typing with all fingers on both hands and can pick things up as long as they are not heavy. I am writing with my right hand again, but badly.... I've now taken the dressing off, just letting the stitches get some air, not catching on things like I thought it might.

       

    • rachel92942
      rachel92942 mark26805

      Posted

      Sounds like your well on the way then, that's good. I haven't used my hand....The couple of times I have gone to "steady" something, or trying to hold something is an absolute no no, it like deep inside cramp pain. As for the scar - it "hurts ( sound a right wimp!) Heaven forbid if anything brushes by it - to sore! Never expected such a little thing to be so debilitating. 
    • mark26805
      mark26805 rachel92942

      Posted

      I have sharp electric shocks down my middle fingers. They only last half a second but they hit me for 6! It's usually when I straighten my hand out quickly, like to turn a light on. It's when I put my arm straight out. Scary pain. i just did it then to test it still happens..... STUPID !!!

      My scar doesn't hurt, feels a bit tight but I think that's the slight swelling.

      Let's be a wimp together...

    • mark26805
      mark26805

      Posted

      ...also getting night sweats, wake up with all my hair wet and have to get up for a towel to dry off and put over a new pillow. Is that related?
    • rachel92942
      rachel92942 mark26805

      Posted

      Weird isn't it.....I changed dressing yesterday and went faint hot and sick....what is wrong with me....such a tiny thing but think was scared of "touching it" and getting pain.  And yes.....done that to....tried it to see if hurt and then tried again to make sure . Lol! Don't know about the night sweats but I have been sleeping with splint on to protect it which considering I lie with it as far away from me as not to sleep on my hand makes it a restless night. 
    • rachel92942
      rachel92942

      Posted

      Oh.....and I think I have totally traumatised my left hand as since the op on my right , I get almost zilch pain in my left.....I think the thought of having my left done after Xmas has been enough to psychologically stop it hurting!
    • mark26805
      mark26805 rachel92942

      Posted

      Left hand getting better  in sympathy....love it !

      Not sure about my left hand, it feels normal but I only really got pins and needles from doing certain events, like cycling. Which I haven't tried yet ! But after this op. and recovery, I'm not rushing in to get the other hand done just yet.

      I thought I was being clever, getting a sick note just before Xmas for a long break..... but I really expected to be PERFECT again straight after op..

      I find it easier to look at picture of my stitches, not the actual wound. But if I gently touch the wound there is no pain or anything, my stitches stick out but they are not catching on anything and causing pain.

    • rachel92942
      rachel92942 mark26805

      Posted

      I did expect a miraculous recovery to....I have a sick note till Tues and then will have another when stitches are out but not sure how long for. Mite be a nice rest but driving me bit crazy when used to physical outdoor work everyday....esp as grounded from driving to.  
    • mark26805
      mark26805 rachel92942

      Posted

      My sick note from the surgeon is for 6 weeks no work, then light duties. I am spending way too much time on the PC, youtube, ebay, aliexpress and forums like this! I'm booked in for stitches out on Tuesday too, 9am.

      I have driven already, letter says you can drive if you can perform an emergency stop. As it's my right hand, driving is possible, but obviously I'm limiting it to only when really necessary.

      Take care.

  • hillary67167
    hillary67167 martin7171

    Posted

    Mine was not due to an injury as such - just wear and tear over the years; the nerve just got compressed resulting in pins and needles which got worse and worse and my hands become quite numb, particularly over night.  Apparently this is when the wrist gets really bent up and compresses the nerve even more.  I tried splints and steroid injections - these help short term but ultimately the nerve needs to be released; it wont get better on its own and if left too long can result in tissue damage as well.
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