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Thread: carpal tunnel troubles

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Default carpal tunnel troubles

    I was diagnosed with mild carpal tunnel. Probably caused from running chainsaws and jackhammers. Anyhoo, lately it's been getting a little worse, mostly my hands are going numb at night. Some nights are worse than others and some times are worse than others. During the daytime it doesn't bother at all except once in a while when driving.

    Is there any exercises or other methods to cure this rather than surgery?


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    Senior Member Camp10's Avatar
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    I have been dealing with it too. About a year ago, I asked cowgirlup for some advise because she is a
    massage therapist. She suggested I find a therapist and I went for about 3 months. It helped quite a bit with the pain and numbness. I do stretches now and I am much better. I'm not cured but I can function without troubles now. It is worth the time and money...I never missed a day of work through the treatment.
    "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

  3. #3

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    Have you ever had an injury to your neck or do you have neck problems? I ask cuz you mention the driving/sleeping thing. I have a mildly herniated disk in my neck that causes my hands to go numb when my arms are in a certain position, like when driving. And I sometimes wake up with it if I sleep wrong. Getting one of those contoured memory foam pillows helped a little.
    Worth getting checked.

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I'm looking into exercises as well. Seems that the two months in that harness (with one restraining point around the wrist) and the ensuing physical therapy has caused what looks like the onset of carpal tunnel. When I bend my wrist forward, all of my fingers instantly go numb. Right now working on strengthening. My physical therapist is going to work up something for me. I'll let you know what that is.
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Gosh. We're all a mess huh?
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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Thanks for the replies. I have noticed that after going to a chiropractor the numbness in my hands is a lot less noticeable. a few years back the dr. hooked up electrodes to me and officially diagnosed it as carpal tunnel. It's a challenge for me to miss any amount of work. It's not like I get any vacation time, maybe I could squeeze a week out. When I had a triple hernia operation I was back to work after a week.

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    Senior Member tipacanoe's Avatar
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    There are several stretches that you can do to help this. At the shipyard that I work at, the office workers twice a day do these once in the morning, 9 ish and about 1:30. It has helped reduce the carpal tunnel problems by at least 95%. My wife has it from typing for 30 years, it is also mild, she wears wraps on her hands at night to keep her hands from being in the fist position all night, and is going to acupuncture as well, and it has helped a lot. It does look like surgery for her in the fall. I have been doing acupuncture on my knees for the last six weeks, and today have no problems, and before I started it, I couldn't get out of my own way, and I am up and down 6 decks all day long. I highly recommend it. There are several stretches here is one link. http://www.ehow.com/how_2302654_do-h...al-tunnel.html

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    thanks for the link. I've been trying it out, I'll report back with the results.

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    Senior Member Skinner's Avatar
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    Have Had the Surgery for It On My Left Hand Due to Tentnal Strength was at 11% And Was Suppose to have the Right Hand Done After it Healed But Went Back to Work Insted (bills Come First) So Now When It Acts Up I Wear a CPT Brace and Also were it When I Sleep.I Also Have Pinched Ular Nerves In Both Elbows .But the Pain Is Nothing .Since I Broke My Back At 12 and Now Have 2 Brackets And a Plate In My Back Also 2 Fake Knees and a Bracket In My Cheek Under My Eye From Shattering My Cheakbone Years ago .And the List is Longer But I'll Just stop there.
    But if the Pain Gets Really Bad and Braces Don't Work Have the Sergery My Left Hand Is Fine Now
    Last edited by Skinner; 05-21-2011 at 11:39 PM.

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    Senior Member tipacanoe's Avatar
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    Randy, the use of the yoga pose, where the forearms are parallel to the floor, hands together at a right angle (lotus position I think) and pointing up and you can really feel the stretch. At the yard, while the office workers have embraced the excercises, the mechanics on the ships haven't.

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    Lone Wolf COWBOYSURVIVAL's Avatar
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    I have severe tendonitis in both wrists caused by moving 20k lbs of steel a day 100lbs. at a time for 8 yrs. when it flares up I immoblize the bad wrist. Ironically now it flares up when I enter 5000 9 digit numbers....So working with your back or working with your brain your still overworking your wrists.
    Keep in mind the problem may be extremely complicated, though the "Fix" is often simple...

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  12. #12
    Senior Member cowgirlup's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by randyt View Post
    Thanks for the replies. I have noticed that after going to a chiropractor the numbness in my hands is a lot less noticeable. a few years back the dr. hooked up electrodes to me and officially diagnosed it as carpal tunnel. It's a challenge for me to miss any amount of work. It's not like I get any vacation time, maybe I could squeeze a week out. When I had a triple hernia operation I was back to work after a week.
    Since the Chiro adjustment was helpful I would make sure there isn't any pressure on the shoulder/brachial plexus. You are using your shoulders a lot with those tools and that could be contributing to it. Worth checking out.

    http://www.bettermedicine.com/articl...-plexus-injury
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I love it when she talks brachial plexus.
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    Senior Member Bushman's Avatar
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    before you even consider surgery on your hands, get your neck x-rayed.............[/

    here's 'why'.

    about 20 years ago I was diagnosed with 'carpal tunnel syndrome' when my fingers started going numb and I was dropping stuff.... the feller that did the 'electric jolt test' etc........said, "yep you've got it" So I had a 'release peration'.......cost me $600!!

    .................couple of months later the hands were still going numb.........back to the same testing feller...............same result..................back to the knife man who said................"ahh, sometimes we don't get it the first time"......... booked in for a 2nd whack at it................ Another $600 !!

    coupla months later, you guessed it, both hands still numb !! Plus I was having 'issues' with pain in my elbows..............the surgeon said he "had a mate who was a plastic surgeon who could 'relocate' my ulna nerves............"

    Some months later we moved cross country, another town, and was talking to another Doc, and happened to mention my hands..........."OK, we'll send you to the city to get them tested".........fella there was barely into the testing procedure when he said, "you don't have carpal tunnel syndrome in either hand!" ................"well whats causing the numbness??" I asked. "your neck is probably out of whack.........theres a helluva lot of nerves running off your neck and down your arms, that'd cause your elbow pain too......... get your neck x-rayed !!" I did. And he was right !!

    Now I aint about to have neck surgery anytime soon, but I do get my neck cricked from time to time by a licensed bone setter, and that works good for a spell..............I've got 'scoliosis' in the upper spine............and THATS the cause of it all !!

    tother point to note is: that some Drs are in it for the money (and their mates are in cahoots) and the morning he did my 'release' there were 9 other patients all lined up for the same procedure.............this, in a town of about 1500 people............sound a bit suss to you too ??

    finally, I suggest you ALWAYS get a 2nd opinion before surgery, or look for other options/possibilities.
    "use enough gun......"

  15. #15
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    thanks for the replies. There's a lot to consider.

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