Horizontalste Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 (edited) Recently Ive been having another bout of Carpal Tunnel symptoms, most annoyingly the numbness at night keeping me awake. It got me wondering how others manage with it & how do folk treat the numbness? I can't be the only one here who suffers. Cheers Steve Edited February 1, 2015 by Horizontalste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Not something that I've ever had, but I've read that anti-inflamatories can help, and diet can play a part in keeping it at bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/diets-diet-plan-Diet/2011/01/18/id/383187/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I have wrist splints which I stopped wearing in bed but have retried them and they help. Re the article above, when I went to the Specialist the first thing he said to me was "The tests I do are inconclusive, but if you describe your symptoms and they fit the pattern for this then that is what I base my diagnosis on". So I had loads of muscle reaction tests where they send volts down your arm and they measure how long for your arm to twitch.... I don't get the pain others describe and since I stopped playing the EUB, very little numbness. Apart from drinking loads of H2O my diet (as a veggie) is rich in fruit and veg. I get by with hardly any inconvenience but appreciate for others it's a different story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) It's quite hard to get used to but I sleep on my side with my arms straight kind of like a seal for want of a better description (as I found having my arms bent for long periods can aggrevate it). I still move during the night and get the numbness but I just stick my arm out of the bed pointing to the floor and make fists and it soon eases off. I came across [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTxQqu9USC4#t=178"]these exercises[/url] and they seem to help when it starts to bother me. Plus I can do them when at work sat at my desk. I drink a lot of water, use low sodium salt and take multivitamins + iron and a cod liver oil capsule daily I badly want to avoid the surgery as it's 6 weeks where you can't do anything with that particular hand and from what I've heard from others and read, it's no guarantee that it won't come back. Edited February 2, 2015 by Delberthot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Thanks for the replies. Interesting how diet can play a role in this, I guess inflammation has many causes. It's not painful for me it's the numbness that I get, this topped with restless leg syndrome can mean some pretty frustrating nights. I did notice ibuprofen help but obviously I don't want to be taking them every night so I'll research braces/splints & give those a try. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UglyDog Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I have had problems in both wrists. Cortisone injections in both, it worked in the left but not the right, so I elected to have the surgery on the right and have not looked back since. Sorted it 100%. If the problem returns in the left I will not hesitate to get it hacked about. Yes it's several weeks of inaction but frankly that's a small price to pay. YMMV, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 My mother had carpel tunnel syndrome in both wrists, after sleeping in slings for ages she eventually had surgery which sorted it and she hasn't had problems since, and that was about 15 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Thanks for the info again. It is doctor diagnosed so I'm confident that's what it is. If it starts to hurt I'll consider surgery but I'll try to live with the numbness. It's in both wrists btw but far less severe in the right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 To contradict what Delberthot posted about the recovery time, I opted for CTS surgery on my right wrist around 2011 and was gigging (with the same band Delbert just left) within a couple of weeks. This was my plucking hand though - I doubt I'd have been able to grip a neck for at least a month if it had been my left hand. Have had no issues since the surgery and can recommend it - otherwise the symptoms will just get worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I had it about ten years ago on my pick hand when I strayed into the dark side as a guitard. My GP gave a hydrocortisone injection near the base of my thumb which hurt like crazy and necessitated a sling for a couple of days. I then wore a wrist support while using a mouse and working for a week or so. It's been fine ever since. iItry and takewithof my right hand technique and so far so good touchwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I've had the relief operation on both hands about 8 years ago and it's worked out really well for me. I'm pretty much 100% back to normal. I spent a very expensive year trying every possible option before deciding I had to go for the op. I'm really happy I did as I would have had to stop playing otherwise. The only thing I would say to people is to be very clear that you have Carpel Tunnel and not another similar issue, but if you are confident that is the problem and have tried the non intrusive treatments then I would consider the op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1422843431' post='2677521'] It's quite hard to get used to but I sleep on my side with my arms straight kind of like a seal for want of a better description (as I found having my arms bent for long periods can aggrevate it). I still move during the night and get the numbness but I just stick my arm out of the bed pointing to the floor and make fists and it soon eases off. I came across [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTxQqu9USC4#t=178"]these exercises[/url] and they seem to help when it starts to bother me. Plus I can do them when at work sat at my desk. I drink a lot of water, use low sodium salt and take multivitamins + iron and a cod liver oil capsule daily I badly want to avoid the surgery as it's 6 weeks where you can't do anything with that particular hand and from what I've heard from others and read, it's no guarantee that it won't come back. [/quote] Don't worry. I was playing bass within a week (it was my left hand). It's a tiny little cut and took the surgeon 4 mins. Numbness was gone by the time I was wheeled out of the operating theatre. I had carpal tunnel in both wrists but only had operation on the left wrist, as that was worse than the right. In bed at night I wear splints and if my right hand goes numb while playing, I use a wrist support that I bought from poundland (which can also stop numbness at night) [url="http://www.poundland.co.uk/neoprene-wrist-support"]http://www.poundland...e-wrist-support[/url] I went to St Johns Hospital in Livingstone for the operation. Edited February 2, 2015 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 [quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1422843431' post='2677521'] It's quite hard to get used to but I sleep on my side with my arms straight kind of like a seal for want of a better description (as I found having my arms bent for long periods can aggrevate it). I still move during the night and get the numbness but I just stick my arm out of the bed pointing to the floor and make fists and it soon eases off. I came across [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTxQqu9USC4#t=178"]these exercises[/url] and they seem to help when it starts to bother me. Plus I can do them when at work sat at my desk. I drink a lot of water, use low sodium salt and take multivitamins + iron and a cod liver oil capsule daily I badly want to avoid the surgery as it's 6 weeks where you can't do anything with that particular hand and from what I've heard from others and read, it's no guarantee that it won't come back. [/quote] Nope, mine was gone within a week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 [quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1422864542' post='2677568'] I have had problems in both wrists. Cortisone injections in both, it worked in the left but not the right, so I elected to have the surgery on the right and have not looked back since. Sorted it 100%. If the problem returns in the left I will not hesitate to get it hacked about. Yes it's several weeks of inaction but frankly that's a small price to pay. YMMV, of course. [/quote] The injection in the right probably wasn't in quite the right spot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Mine wasn't bass-related but more to do with bad posture using keyboard and mouse. Solved by getting my chair in the right place, taking the keyboard off the desk and putting it lower down on a shelf, and using a trackball instead of a mouse. I had splints - didn't' do much during the day but gave useful support when sleeping. Good luck, hope you manage to find some relief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigd1 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I have had both wrists operated on, solved all the problems. Get yourself checked out properly, a forum is not the place to get advise on health issues. Everybody is different, what worked for me may not be what will work for you. Hope you get sorted, please go talk to someone who will know what to do in your case. Ta very glad Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GILLY Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Have the op but resist the temptation to look at Youtube procedures first!! Seriously though, the worst bit was the local anaesthetic (stings a bit) but the operation is really quick and you cannot see anything, nor are you aware of what is going on. Within three days I was noodling on the bass (had my fretting hand done) and but the time the stitches came out ( 5 at 10 days), my hand was back to normal. The best bit....The pins and needles stopped immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 [quote name='bigd1' timestamp='1422916457' post='2678465'] I have had both wrists operated on, solved all the problems. Get yourself checked out properly, a forum is not the place to get advise on health issues. Everybody is different, what worked for me may not be what will work for you. Hope you get sorted, please go talk to someone who will know what to do in your case. Ta very glad Dale [/quote] Exactly. Get a referral to a specialist. You don't 'manage' CTS, you get it sorted. These are your HANDS for heaven's sake. What are they going to be like in ten years if you don't get treatment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 I think part of the problem is the negativity regarding the op, even the NHS website says it has limited success. I'm going back to the doctors anyway so I'll discuss options with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Ask for a referral to s specialist hand unit - do your homework and find one first - sone doctors don't know they are thee I was lucky there was one in Derby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 [quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1422949208' post='2678623'] I think part of the problem is the negativity regarding the op, even the NHS website says it has limited success. I'm going back to the doctors anyway so I'll discuss options with him. [/quote] It may not require an op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 Thanks fellas I'll see the gp on Friday so I'll quiz him. I haven't had the numbness for a couple of nights but my two fingers on my left hand are a bit stiff this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigd1 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 The thing to be aware of is your GP is just a starting point. You have CP you need a hand specialist to decide what the next step in treatment is. As has been said you may not need an operation. As far as negativity regarding CP ops. People don't go on the internet to say how good something was or is, they go on if it goes wrong. I think it's a very low percentage of operations that go wrong but yes sometimes they do, thats life. I can only speak from my own experience, and I have had very positive outcome from both of my CP releases. I only had to stop playing for about 4 weeks in both cases, and have had no problems since. Good luck and get yourself sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I found the op to be quite painless and recovery was pretty swift although I couldn't put any amount of pressure on my palms (e.g. holding bike handlebars) for a couple of months. The only painful aspect of treatment was the electric shocks they ran through my wrists to determine how bad my condition was. In fact, the nurse told me that the student doctors would use the apparatus on themselves for a lark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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