Anyone ever dealt with carpal tunnel syndrome before?

johnjohn320

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2001
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My first three fingers on my left hand have been feeling "off" for about a week now. My hands are crucial to my profession, so this is concerning to me. Googling CTS, it describes a tingling and numbness in those fingers. I definitely don't feel tingling, and I'm not sure you'd call it "numb"...I still have full functionality, full feeling, I sleep through the night, etc. But since it's persisted for 7 days, I'm getting worried. One question I have after reading up is: which part of the finger feels numb? The tip, pad, sides, base, webbing between the fingers, what?
 

kag

Golden Member
May 21, 2001
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My mom just got surgery for carpal tunnel two weeks ago. I remember she said something about the sides between the pinky finger and the ring finger not feeling numb because the nerves causing carpal tunnel don't go there. Something you can look up on the internet.
 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
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Go to a specialist and get it checked out. My wife had CTS surgery, and it was relatively simple and very successful.

But whether it is actually CTS, or some other repetitive injury, the earlier you address any such issue the better.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
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I've got carpal.

Wear wrist braces to bed. Your hands make fists and cramp up while you sleep. Braces help a shit ton. Also ice the hell out of them before bed. It hurts but it helps. If I remember to ice and wear my braces, I'm good. But if I don't my wrists cramp up half way through work.
 

AnMig

Golden Member
Nov 7, 2000
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Try some wrist splints for 2-3 weeks, this would be the first conservative management anyway aside from avoiding exacerbating behavior such as poor keyboard mouse position.

If it does not improve then see an MD who may order an EMGif significant then carpal tunnel release surgery would be an option (if pt does not help)

Good luck
 
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JumBie

Golden Member
May 2, 2011
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I'd like to say(not really) that I have this. I have continuous pain in my arms, elbow down. And fingers, more recently I have had like pain in my fingers that feel like and electric shock, not to sure if its related but I mean this is all due to continuous and inappropriate computer use.
 

Savij

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
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I've had it come up during periods of heavy computer use. The first time was in college and the solution was to reduce the amount of game playing. The second time was at work. I switched to a trackball and I've never noticed it since then.
 

mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
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#1, if it hurts, stop doing it. That means stop moving your fingers to see if it hurts or feels weird.

#2 see a doctor, get an xray or whatever they suggest. Tendonitis, pressure on your nerves, could be anything.

#3 exercise
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
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Playing Donkey Kong Country on the SNES gave me a very weird numbing sensation on a portion of my wrist. Had it repeat itself a few times in my life since. All from heavy game controller use.

Keyboard and Mouse never really trigger a problem, but I figure each person is different.
 

johnjohn320

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2001
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Thanks for the feedback, guys. I've seen a GP and a DPT about it; neither of them think it's CTS (phew) but both have recommended I follow up with a specialist to find out what it might be. In the meantime, could anyone elaborate on their symptoms? As I was asking: what specific partd of your fingers felt numb when you had cts?

Thanks much, I appreciate your stories.
 

rga

Senior member
Nov 9, 2011
640
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I have carpal tunnel. It doesn't really affect me too much during the day. Sometimes my hand will go numb towards the end of a 5k run, if I've been playing computer games for a lengthy period of time, or when I'm holding the phone up to my ear. My issue is at night when I go to bed. I have to wear solid wrist splints if I want to sleep through the night. Without them, I will wake up at least five times with painfully numb hands.
 

circusslaughter

Senior member
Sep 4, 2013
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It sucks. I've had it for a long time and I am way beyond broke to get the correction surgery. THE PAIN IS THE WORST PART! I have to type a lot because I do school online and it's just awful. :(
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
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Wife had tingling in her fingers and occasional pain. Went to doctor. Surgery. Was in surgery on either a Thursday or Friday, and was back to work by Monday (though was restricted from certain things.)

I had tingling in my fingers and happened to be at the chiropractor for neck pain. "You must be experiencing a lot of tingling and numbness in your right hand." "How'd you know?" "Your C5 (or whichever vertabra it was) is compressed." Snap, crackle, pop, no more tingling in the fingers.
 

Turbonium

Platinum Member
Mar 15, 2003
2,146
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I don't have carpal tunnel, but I got the next worst thing which is tendinitis. I injured the soft tissue just behind my elbow years ago (around where the ulnar nerve and such is) + nonstop computer use (i.e. overuse of wrist) over many years means I have a constant dull pain in my wrist and hand, especially when using the computer or doing other more simple tasks.

I've just learned to ignore it but it's slowly getting worse as time goes on. I'm not even 30 yet. It all started when I was around 20.

I just take acetaminophen sometimes, but that has long term consequences. I'd take ibuprofen instead, but that's worse in terms of side-effects.
 

Tango

Senior member
May 9, 2002
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Chiropractor. He literally changed my life and saved me from surgery and having to quit my two most loved hobbies.
 

cherrytwist

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2000
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Hydrate. Also, I have had this in the past and found changing typing positions (wrists) using a wrist gel pad or what have you really helped.
 

johnjohn320

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2001
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Again, I really appreciate the replies, but I'm hoping someone can provide me with some more specifics on their symptoms (finger tips, pads, base of the finger, etc)
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
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Again, I really appreciate the replies, but I'm hoping someone can provide me with some more specifics on their symptoms (finger tips, pads, base of the finger, etc)

The biggest symptom is the lump on my wrist.
Next is my fingers don't bend like normal.
Then my pinky and ring fingers go numb after too much use. It starts in the tips and will go down from there.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,167
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I've got carpal.

Wear wrist braces to bed. Your hands make fists and cramp up while you sleep. Braces help a shit ton. Also ice the hell out of them before bed. It hurts but it helps. If I remember to ice and wear my braces, I'm good. But if I don't my wrists cramp up half way through work.

I've got it to. Though thankfully not too horribly. I wear a splint at night for my right hand, I replaced my mouse with a "vertical mouse", and I cut back my personal time in front of a PC. I am on a PC at work for like 10 hours, but I'm not using the mouse all that much.

Anyhow, after about 2 weeks of wearing splint, my numbness and pain pretty much are gone for now. My symptoms were pain in my wrist, and a numb thumb, and tingling when extending or rotating my hand. The numbness I had was worst at the tip, but, I imagine it may vary by the individual since the issue with Carpal Tunnel is a nerve essentially being pinched.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
23,807
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Are you right or left handed? Which side do you use a mouse with? What about writing?

I'm right handed and had right-sided carpal tunnel syndrome. For months, I switched over my mouse to the left hand, and the symptoms went away. You're in a tougher situation though, since you're a pianist.

---

BTW, for the computer keyboard geeks: I prefer mechanical keyboards, because I much prefer the feel. Unfortunately, they bring back my carpal tunnel syndrome. :(

I would imagine playing on a grand piano would be much worse. I remember learning some basic stuff on a touch-sensitive but non-weighted keyboard. I then went over to my sis's house to try what I learned on her baby grand, and basically got nothing. My light touch was usually so light I wouldn't even get sound out of the piano.
 
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