Carpel Tunnel

[summerlover2009]

Anyone on here ever been diagnosed with Carpel Tunnel? If so, did you have the operation and was it successful? I was told I have a mild form of it in my right hand - along with tendonitis - of all things. And Im a dominant right handed keyboard player. Doc says stretcth the wrist and do a few exercises, but it only seems to aggrivate it more when I do. So im wearing the brace to keep it straight - and it is helping but only nominally.

[TobaccoSoup]

Wear the brace when you sleep.
Stretching will eventually help.
Avoid eating corn as it contains naturally occurring chemicals that promote an inflammatory response in your joints (shrinking the 'tunnel' in effect).
Eat pineapple, as it contains naturally occurring chemicals that promote an anti-inflammatory response in your joints.
It probably isn't the keyboard playing causing the issue but repetitive-motion tasks at your place of employment (we weren't engineered to do that same crap 40hrs/wk).
I've heard that some people found some relief from chiropractic care, I haven't sought that form of treatment myself.

[55panhd]

I've been getting cortisone shots in both wrists for about 5 years every 6-8 months depending on the night wake-up frequency, works for me.
Don from Back Beat '64 just went thru surgery, says he feels great.

[time_keeper51]

I had Carpel Tunnel in both of my wrists one worst than the other and for years I was getting the shots. After about 6 years they weren't effective anymore and the symptoms worsened. So I had the surgery done to both wrists 6 weeks apart and they are like new. It's been 3 years and I play the drums 3-4 times a week and still . . . like I never had it and the scars are barely noticeable. I had it done by Dr. Mark Tetro located at the Pinnacle Building On Michigan and Genesee St.in Buffalo. This doctor and his staff are AMAZING. I very highly recommend him. BTW it is an out patient procedure so your in and out the same day, approximately 4 hours between the surgery and recovery.

[Rick Johnston]

I'll second the recommendation for Dr. Tetro. They also have a great PT staff that may help without having to resort to the surgical solution.

[summerlover2009]

I appreciate the response. What I have learned thus far, is one of the symptoms of carpel tunnel is to have numbness or tingling in your first three fingers - but not in your pinky finger. Apparently a different nerve controls sensation in that finger. I had the numbness intermittently - but it hasnt come back in a few weeks. Apparently, carpel tunnel comes and goes then gets progressively worse until surgery is needed, and is usually first noticable in your dominant hand. I have much more hope after speaking to someone on here that recently had the surgery in both hands is now feels 100 % healed. My only other concern is there is some other type of nerve damage in addition to the carpel pain.

[sevenyearsdown]

I have several problems in my arms/hands from repetitive strain type of injuries that came on as part of weakness to the area from herniated discs in my cervical spine. With all injuries like this I have learned a few things.

Whether it is surgery, or physical therapy - there is no magic bullet to fix it quickly. It likely took a long time to develop the injury (or to notice it), and it will take time to correct the mechanical issues with posture, strength, flexibility, etc. to really help the problem.

My right arm and hand were so bad at one point that I had to quit to playing, but like someone else mentioned - work was what really bothered it. By lunch the arm would be in unbearable pain, and my hand would be cold and numb. Since most of us can't stop working for a living, I decided to learn how to do my job left handed. I figured I'd been doing the same type of work right handed since I was a high school co-op. That was over 15 years worth of drafting on the right arm. It took a while for me to get proficient at it, but eventually the brain started firing all of those circuits and I got good at it. Just think of what your "off" hand can handle when you are playing music. Learning to use a mouse with it is kids play compared to playing an instrument. The result was that the strain injuries in my right arm slowly began to heal. Because of my disc problems they will probably always be there in some form, but through PT and rest I've learned how to keep it from stopping me from playing music again.

I also stretch before I practice - ALWAYS. Everything from the elbows down gets stretched. Some guys can play forever and never have issues, but I'm not one of them - so I prepare. It's really no different than an athlete getting loose before running or whatever. The last thing which seems like a no brainer is staying hydrated. It's not gonna solve your problem, but it can certainly contribute if you aren't putting enough water in.

[The Afromaniac]

Although I've never been diagnosed with CTS, the symptoms you describe are something I battle with almost daily. Playing guitar can be a drag at times because of it. I'm not too crazy about surgery, but what I would recommend you try are Active Release Treatments before you get cut open. I will also recommend Steve Dubuc on Saunders Settlement Rd.

[summerlover2009]

Thank you - I will certainly check him out.

[Mike2421]

I've issues with my right hand as well. I can remember the night when I first injured it on stage. At first, I could not play bass fingerstyle because of the pain. So I switched to a pick. Then I was having pain in my thumb from holding my pick. Eventually I couldn't play at all! I wore a brace at night and at work (i'm a retail manager). In time, I was able to play both fingerstyle and with a pick, but not like I could when I was younger. At least I injured myself doing something I love!

[rick36012v64]

Just saw this post. This is Don from www.BackBeat64.com as someone mentuioned earlier. I couldn't even finish some songs on the guitar without having to hang my hand down to get sensation back. The CTS got so bad that I had to have the surgery, just over a year ago. I used James Kelly as the surgeon and the surgeries were both wrists and done 3 weeks apart. You have to wear the bandage to cover the stitches for about 10-14 days. The pain and numbness were gone immediately. No complications. Highly recomended if you are diagnosed and it is severe. A complication arose last spring with trigger finger in both of my thumbs (the thumbs lock) and I had surgery in my right thumb to relieve that and the problem in the left thumb went away on its own. The shots for me only worked for about 4-6 weeks. I had no choice but to have the surgery.

Being a pharmacist, I have tried every contraption(sp) and gimmick, the braces will help you sleep but are not an answer to the problem for most people. Shots may work well for extended periods but the condition almost always comes back at some time.

Suggest getting a good hand doctor, James Kelly, John Callahan, Marc Tetro and get a diagnosis. Try the shots and see where it leads. But if you have it, you don't have to suffer with it, the surgery works and is done with only a small incision in the wrinkles where the palm meets the arm, no svar visible after 6 months.

Hope this helps.

Don