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Numbness in "healthy" hand

Posted , 3 users are following.

LeicesterLass
LeicesterLass

Hi. I saw my GP about 10 days ago because of hand problems - aches, stiffness, hot swollen joints and tingling. Specifically, my left hand is numb every morning when I wake up.

The doctor suspected CPS but when he examined my left hand he couldn't see signs of it and changed his mind.

Because I was mainly worried about the numbness, we focused completely on symptoms in my left hand.

However, the pain and weakness is actually much worse in my right hand. I can hardly join the thumb and little finger together and there is now noticable atrophy at the base of the right thumb.

I am now convinced it's CPS - or something very similar - in the right hand at least.

But can anyone explain why all the numbness is in my left hand?

It's been numb every morning for MONTHS now. 

Only once did I wake up with numbness in my right hand (thumb, index and middle finger only - whereas left hand numbness affects whole hand).

I'm really, really confused!

 

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • LeicesterLass
    LeicesterLass

    Posted

    Sorry, I mean CTS - I'm really tired and typing is exhausting!
  • jeremydpbland
    jeremydpbland LeicesterLass

    Posted

    It does sound a bit odd. Try the symptom questionnaire on carpal tunnel net and we can then discuss it on there. There don't have to be any physical signs on examination for it to be CTS.

    Dr J Bland

    • LeicesterLass
      LeicesterLass jeremydpbland

      Posted

      Thanks. I found it difficult to answer some of the questions. e.g. I can't say which hand has the worse symptoms because I don't know what is worse; numbness or weakness (I opted for the latter as the numbness is intermittent). 

      Anyway, it gave me just a 5% probability of CTS.

      With my right hand, there is heat and aching in the wrist; pain and weakness in the thumb, index and middle finger; icy cold fingers; visible thenar atrophy (there is actually a dent in the flesh now - a definite change over the last month); very little resistance when trying to pull apart thumb and little finger (this is the test the GP did on my left hand that showed no weakness - in my right hand it's very weak). If this only gives me a 5% possibility of CTS then I don't know what to think!

      Very confused. 

  • jeremydpbland
    jeremydpbland LeicesterLass

    Posted

    It does suggest rather an odd mix of symptoms for CTS. CTS is not the only cause of wasting of the thumb muscles so it needs looking into - You should have some nerve conduction studies done, not just looking for CTS but trying to explore why the thumb is weak and wasting. A alternative approach would be to see a neurologist to begin with - depends what's available in your area.
    • LeicesterLass
      LeicesterLass jeremydpbland

      Posted

      That's really good to know, thank you so much. Everything I read seemed to point to CTS, which just left me baffled. 

      GP sent me for blood tests to rule out some other things and mentioned the possibility of an EMG. Obviously I want to be healthy but I'm kind of more worried about tests *not* showing up anything, because I just want to know what it is and how to make it better.

      Thanks again.

  • alib123x123
    alib123x123 LeicesterLass

    Posted

    I have the same probelm. I had ct release in my left hand 5 yrs ago. but i also had the tendon re attached in my right arm due to tennis elbow.

    At the moment im off work as both hand intermittently swell up. ive had the EMG and it shows carpel tunnel in my  right and not left, which is what i expected as they had done the left.

    but no one knows why my left is swelling and im sure the consultant thinks im mad!

    today i have to see the consultant again so we will see what he says, although i am going armed with photos that show the swelling of my hands.

     what im finding weird is the most pain is in the bits they have already operated on.

    • LeicesterLass
      LeicesterLass alib123x123

      Posted

      How frustrating. Photos are a good idea. Did they test you for any potential underlying conditions that could be causing the carpal tunnel syndrome?

      My pains and numbness are so all over the place that I'm not convinced I will ever get to the bottom of it. 

    • alib123x123
      alib123x123 LeicesterLass

      Posted

      forgot to reply after id been lol

      so the conculsion was i was a mystery lol,but seriously he, they are going to do the CT release on my right hand. he also ordered lots of blood tests about 20 things to be looked for to see if there is an underlying condition. Also im waiting on a ultrasound on my right forearm as my arm is half stuck,he thinks the nerve has attached to the scar tissue from previous op!  making it almost impossible to straighten arm without pain...its never ending.

      so no real answers just a lot of head scratching lol

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