Join Today & Get 4% Cash Back Then 6, 7...Up to 10% Off Reorders!

June 15, 2008, 8:49 am
Flag as Inappropriate Chris  

I've work with computers or typewriters all of my adult life and am having a fun thumb issues and I'm afraid it is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I know a few folks that have had it a one had surgery. Are there any alternatives to surgery? I want it fixed but afraid that if I get the surgery done then I won't be able to do my job properly. The pain is terrible at times and the slightest touch can hurt. I sleep with a special thumb splint on both hands but it doesn't always help.

Chris

I've suffered with carpal tunnel syndrome from way before they had a name for it.

It effects more than just your thumb. From the middle of the middle finger down through your hand all the way to your elbow, you can have pain, pins and needles and a lack of strength. It gets worse when you do recurring movements at work, and it can also really hurt at night.

If you have the syndrome, there are splints that are sold in drug stores that you put on and that will hold your wrists at an angle that will open up the tunnel and will take away the pressure on the nerves there. It stops the pain and I have found that it works really well.

I also make sure that I don't eat any salt because excess water in the system also makes for more pain.

There are also exercises that you can do with your hand that will open up the tunnel. The one I remember has you just making a tight fist and then taking as long as you can to release the fist and open your hand. It should take over a minute.

I also suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and it causes me a lot of pain. I have also broken more dishes than I can count because at times my hand will just quit working.

I have found that if I am on the computer for a long period of time -- stopping for a minute or two and stretching my fingers as far as I can and then releasing the stretch several times or the fist example from the previous post help me out quite a bit.

Other than that I usually wear a wrist brace to keep my hand in a good position.

It looks like it is time to go back to the Dr and see what is going on for sure. Hopefully a bit of physical therapy may help me out. I already sleep with the splits and it does help but I still have a lot of pain. Unfortunately I spend a LOT of my time on a keyboard and otherwise working with my hands.

Thanks for the info.

Chris

Can someone tell me the difference between carpal tunnel and arthritis? I thought for a long time they were one in the same but now I am seeing more people say they have CT than the other.

Arthritis is a degenerative tissue disease that causes the cartilage around your joints to break down causing the bones to rub together and resulting in stiffness, pain, and inflammation of the joints.

Carpal Tunnel syndrome on the other hand is caused from the median nerve which runs from the forearm to the hand being pinched or squeezed. This occurs when there is swelling of the tendons or other tissues in the carpal tunnel.

If you have carpal tunnel and do not stop doing the things that aggravate it (or can't) it will continue. You can't cure it as it is caused by repetitive movements, such as assembly work, typing at the computer, etc. The surgery doesn't always work and should be a last resort after splints, PT and changing your habits. Most people have good results with changes in their habits and the splints, as well as making sure their computer is appropriately ergonomic.

I notice symptoms when I am working too fast with not enough breaks or change in movement. Since alot of my work involves using a numberpad instead of the whole keyboard its easy to work fast and in the same manner and aggravate the nerves.