Anybody here have carpal tunnel?

pianogirl04 · #1 07-28-2005, 11:25 PM

I've been fighting with something that resembles carpal tunnel for the past four years on and off... it acts up when I'm playing, my fingers and my wrist ache deep down, I shake my hand out a lot, and then it might not act up for a week or more (or until I sleep on it, whichever comes first). I've had a couple fingers lock up one time and it hasn't happened since... but yesterday, my whole wrist just started to ache... like hitting your funny bone really hard kind of pain that seems like it's not pain at all. I've had some shooting pains up my arm, my first three fingers tingle just a little bit... but what really has me worried is I feel like I'm losing my strength. I can make a loose fist and I can grip things, but I feel this need to look at my hand and make sure it's actually doing that because the feeling isn't... totally there.

I'm scared, to say the least.

If it's not any better by Monday, I'm going in to get it looked at -- and I hope like hell my insurance covers diagnostic tests and specialists... and that I don't have to have surgery.

SuzeQuze · #2 07-29-2005, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pianogirl04

I've been fighting with something that resembles carpal tunnel for the past four years on and off... it acts up when I'm playing, my fingers and my wrist ache deep down, I shake my hand out a lot, and then it might not act up for a week or more (or until I sleep on it, whichever comes first). I've had a couple fingers lock up one time and it hasn't happened since... but yesterday, my whole wrist just started to ache... like hitting your funny bone really hard kind of pain that seems like it's not pain at all. I've had some shooting pains up my arm, my first three fingers tingle just a little bit... but what really has me worried is I feel like I'm losing my strength. I can make a loose fist and I can grip things, but I feel this need to look at my hand and make sure it's actually doing that because the feeling isn't... totally there.

I'm scared, to say the least.

If it's not any better by Monday, I'm going in to get it looked at -- and I hope like hell my insurance covers diagnostic tests and specialists... and that I don't have to have surgery.

I do get a pain in my wrist if I type a lot and use shortcut keys. I hope your wrist feels better soon. Maybe put some ice on it in the evening when you're no longer playing. This would take care of any swelling. Maybe there's a different way to hold your hands while playing that will help? I think this would have to do with the height of your stool and the angle of your wrists. I used to really get uncomfortable using a laptop a lot so when in the office I used a real keyboard and monitor plugged into it and that helped with my discomfort alot. I hope you get some relief!

DrummerDeanna · #3 07-29-2005, 09:05 AM

I amazed that I've not gotten it yet...

I used my hands tons when I was a drummer...maybe I built up some sort of muscle?

I'm always on a computer - so I hope I don't get carpal tunnel - thus far I've escaped it.

Alison · #4 07-29-2005, 09:36 AM

I have problems off and on also. For me it must be from using the computer, playing the guitar and keyboard.
From my reading there are natural things to take for it.
So do some research before you think of surgery.
Large doses of B6 is good, but take other Bs also for balance. Use natural sorces if you can. This is helping for me. Make sure you have calcuim and magnesium.
Research and see.

paleshadow · #5 07-29-2005, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pianogirl04

I've been fighting with something that resembles carpal tunnel for the past four years on and off... it acts up when I'm playing, my fingers and my wrist ache deep down, I shake my hand out a lot, and then it might not act up for a week or more (or until I sleep on it, whichever comes first). I've had a couple fingers lock up one time and it hasn't happened since... but yesterday, my whole wrist just started to ache... like hitting your funny bone really hard kind of pain that seems like it's not pain at all. I've had some shooting pains up my arm, my first three fingers tingle just a little bit... but what really has me worried is I feel like I'm losing my strength. I can make a loose fist and I can grip things, but I feel this need to look at my hand and make sure it's actually doing that because the feeling isn't... totally there.

I'm scared, to say the least.

If it's not any better by Monday, I'm going in to get it looked at -- and I hope like hell my insurance covers diagnostic tests and specialists... and that I don't have to have surgery.

I have it. I went to the Dr. a few years ago because my hand kept falling asleep, or going numb. I didn't really experience any pain, just the numb tingly feeling. They did some electro stimulation tests to determine that it was in fact CTS. I opted to have surgery, and for the most part I've been fine since; however, there is no guarantee it won't come back. I've started to have some discomfort in the same wrist recently, so I started to wear my wrist brace again, especially when I'm sleeping. I think your first step would be to get whatever it is correctly diagnosed. It could also be a pinched nerve.