This is the riveting journey of one woman's fight against carpal tunnel. A must read. A true page-turner.
So my carpal tunnel popped up in about 1989 after repeatedly scooping cole slaw and mashed potatoes at KFC. It was mostly off after that until about 2005...I had my first steroid shot in both wrists 11/05, second in 5/06, third in 11/06.
It's worse in my left wrist than my right. When it's really bad, I'll wake up with major pain from my shoulder to my wrist (I sleep on my sides). Simple things like brushing my teeth or holding the phone up can trigger the tingling and numbness in both the ulnar and median nerves, sometimes separately, sometimes together. I try to keep my wrists neutral to avoid it, wear braces at night when I sleep, keep ergonomic positions while working on the computer and paddling (with a small bent shaft). Cold weather makes it worse - the tendons sometimes feel like they're guitar strings and certain motions make them...pling. Used to do a bunch of home remodeling and using power tools extensively would irritate it.
Since the third shot was completed and in order to try alternatives to avoid surgery, I've started taking B complex vitamins in addition to my multivitamin, drinking more water than I usually would (not much), be mindful of the neutral wrist positions, take breaks and not stress them out greatly with things like extensive power tool sessions. In 5/07 the milder symptoms started coming back and I checked into a number of options:
1. acupuncture - $1000, not covered on insurance, no guarantee of success
2. massage including rolfing
3. chiropractic
4. occupational/physical therapy
7/07 I opted to try the therapy first because a paddling buddy is an OT. I'm doing the exercises daily and so far, the symptoms aren't worse...I will check back in later!
7/07 Added 100 mg B6 to the daily vitamin stash as per doctor's suggestion - I wasn't taking enough. Not the greatest at remembering to do my exercises.
http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1286728
Winter 07: Therapy didn't really help much. Doing better at the exercises and doubling the B6 has helped it seems. Tried about 8 sessions of chiropractic - nothing.
4/08: It keeps coming back. I'm wearing the wrist braces, do stretches, take B6 but wake up with numbness.
5/08: Yay, something new! Numbness, tingling, pain on top of my right forearm, close to my thumb after sewing heavy cushions.
So my carpal tunnel popped up in about 1989 after repeatedly scooping cole slaw and mashed potatoes at KFC. It was mostly off after that until about 2005...I had my first steroid shot in both wrists 11/05, second in 5/06, third in 11/06.
It's worse in my left wrist than my right. When it's really bad, I'll wake up with major pain from my shoulder to my wrist (I sleep on my sides). Simple things like brushing my teeth or holding the phone up can trigger the tingling and numbness in both the ulnar and median nerves, sometimes separately, sometimes together. I try to keep my wrists neutral to avoid it, wear braces at night when I sleep, keep ergonomic positions while working on the computer and paddling (with a small bent shaft). Cold weather makes it worse - the tendons sometimes feel like they're guitar strings and certain motions make them...pling. Used to do a bunch of home remodeling and using power tools extensively would irritate it.
Since the third shot was completed and in order to try alternatives to avoid surgery, I've started taking B complex vitamins in addition to my multivitamin, drinking more water than I usually would (not much), be mindful of the neutral wrist positions, take breaks and not stress them out greatly with things like extensive power tool sessions. In 5/07 the milder symptoms started coming back and I checked into a number of options:
1. acupuncture - $1000, not covered on insurance, no guarantee of success
2. massage including rolfing
3. chiropractic
4. occupational/physical therapy
7/07 I opted to try the therapy first because a paddling buddy is an OT. I'm doing the exercises daily and so far, the symptoms aren't worse...I will check back in later!
7/07 Added 100 mg B6 to the daily vitamin stash as per doctor's suggestion - I wasn't taking enough. Not the greatest at remembering to do my exercises.
http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1286728
Winter 07: Therapy didn't really help much. Doing better at the exercises and doubling the B6 has helped it seems. Tried about 8 sessions of chiropractic - nothing.
4/08: It keeps coming back. I'm wearing the wrist braces, do stretches, take B6 but wake up with numbness.
5/08: Yay, something new! Numbness, tingling, pain on top of my right forearm, close to my thumb after sewing heavy cushions.
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