Carpal tunnel syndrome - anyone else?

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peaceandquiet1

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Last year finally went to GP after disturbed nights with numb hands and arms-up to the elbow. I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Tried to explain that it is seasonal, because I have so much mucking out to do in the winter. It's not nearly as bad in the summer. I notice it when driving and sadly now when i am riding. Does anyone else have experience of this? I was referred to an orthopaedic consultant but couldn't make the appointment (sick child off school) so had to cancel and seem to have dropped off the list.
 
Yes me! Had it for at least 10 years, from when I was rearing calves & carrying alot of buckets! Get yourself a bioflow bracelet, (mine is gold coloured one with 2 magnets) - stopped the 1st night of wearing it. Hope that helps!
 
Thank you. I would rather that than surgery! Or wearing splints! I also have a bony lump on my palm which really hurts sometimes. But I love my horses and my childrens ponies-they make the world go round!
 
I had the op after years of suffering from CTS - best thing I ever did. Wot a difference - wish I had it done sooner. Does not take long and is only uncomfortable for a wee while :)
 
I had cpt in both hands, had 3 lots of cortizone injections and the next move was to be surgery.
I was having some accupuncture treatment at the time and mentioned it to the woman doing the accupuncture that I hadnt slept through the night for around 8 months because of the pain.
She done one treatment on me for the cts, and I can honestly say I have never suffered since. That was 4 years ago. I would highly reccommend it.
 
Yes, I first got it when I was pregnant (son now 5 and a half). It went when I had him, then gradually returned, made worse by driving, riding with poor arm position (over bending wrists), sleeping in wrong position, reading in bed. I went to the GP to get the Op last summer but at the same time (having read up on it) I made a very conscious effort to improve my arm position when riding, and avoid other 'wrist bending' activities. I also took up Yoga.

As if by Magic - or rather, as if by common sense, and Yoga - it went away thank goodness and I cancelled the Op. Now it lurks in the morning if I've slept wrong but no more.

I did wear one of those bio-flow bracelets for 3 years. I took it off last month... and haven't noticed any difference yet.
 
Suffered with it for many years,got really bad,so had the op .done under local in the day surgery ward,had to be carefull for 6 week, suprising how resoursefull you can be with the horses one handed!!!!! Wish i had had it done much sooner
 
I had the op around ten years ago, I had to be careful for around six weeks, then gradually started riding again. The first few days are the worse after the op but then it gets better. I had it done under local A so was only in hospital for a couple of hours. I still have to be careful not to strain it to much, but I can lift full buckets etc with no probs.
 
I had similar symptoms which were initially put down to CTS however when I saw a friend who did physio & acupuncture she thought the nerve was actually getting pressurised at my elbow due to ligament damage. Apparently I have over flexion at the elbow joint and a lot of horse riders do (the arm goes too far passed straight), her daughter rides so she understands the strains. I now have physio and acupuncture occasionally when it plays up and it has been loads better. To check if the elbow has been strained and is the source of the problem I was told that you should put your hands together in a prayer shape and lift your elbows to form a 90 degrees angle at the wrist. The affected arm when bad will not be able to do this. Another point they treat to relieve the nerve is under the armpit in case damage in the shoulder muscle is causing compression there. Depends on what was said at your diagnosis but physio could be worth a try before surgery.
 
Hi

I have had both my wrists operated on as I had it bad in both hands, could not lift a knife and fork without fingers going numb. Its come back due to taking a job with horses and overdoing it with poo picking and mucking out. Got so bad I had to give job up and go back to office work. I sleep with splints on now when they get stiff and painful it really helps. Dont want another op as it takes about 6 weeks to recover from it properly, and I hated being an invalid and relying on other people to fasten my clothes etc.
 
Yes have had in both hands. So bad could not get good nights sleep. Got sent to specialist and with in 4 weeks hand both hands done on the same day. Best thing I have ever done. Relief was instant. Would have not qualms in recommending surgery to anyone. Was interesting few days to have both hands out of action. Was back after 10 days to have stitches out and return to yard about 5 weeks later not looked back.
 
I had CTS in both my thumbs just after I had my son. I had the op on the right hand and the left cleared by itself. Neither hand has been affected since, you have my complete sympathy, it is very very painful :(
 
I had it in both arms...had them operated on at the same time as was not allowed two absences from work!! Not really had a problem since. That was over ten years ago. I worked with horses as the time and now run my own yard and have competed throughout. It did get me out of plaiting up for a while! :)
 
I wear a split (with a metal shank) in bed overnight and it's been a magic cure-all. I honestly can't believe it's made such a difference.... you would have thought that wearing something overnight would make the numbness worse but the complete opposite is true!

Now what do we know about tennis elbow? I have that bilaterally too! :(
 
horsemadmum1 said:
Last year finally went to GP after disturbed nights with numb hands and arms-up to the elbow. I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Tried to explain that it is seasonal, because I have so much mucking out to do in the winter. It's not nearly as bad in the summer. I notice it when driving and sadly now when i am riding. Does anyone else have experience of this? I was referred to an orthopaedic consultant but couldn't make the appointment (sick child off school) so had to cancel and seem to have dropped off the list.
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Yeah, if you cancel they will assume you don't want another appointment, so do give the consultant's secretary a ring to re-arrange :)

I have RSI, and feel your pain (literally!). You can get referred for physio by your GP - the consultants in my experience only want to know if you are operable - they can't help with suggesting coping strategies or anything else.

Has your GP reccomended ibuprofen? Rest is the best course of action (and IME if you don't do it now you will be forced to when it gets so bad you need time off work :( ) but an anti-inflammatory can be a godsend too, and is how my GPs have always treated it - although that doesn't solve the problem.

I found an occupational health assessment to be VERY helpful - try to get an appointment with them, they are worth their weight in gold - your consultant can refer you, maybe your GP can too.

I find wrist supports work well, and a split when it gets very bad, although wearing this for any length of time significantly weakens your wrist strength. Ice is good for it, or alternate hot & cold - the warmth brings blood (therefore oxygen, which is needed for healing) to the area, then the cold reduces the swelling.

HTH :)
 
I had both hands operated on 4 years ago within 6 weeks of each other, I had steriod injections and had slept (or not slept in my case!) with splints for 2 years before they decided to operate. My right hand is fine but it has come back in my left which I suspect is due to the fact that I have major issues with my right shoulder which means although I am right handed I tend to do heavy lifting with my left hand. I only have numbness now in the left so have not bothered going back to my gp. The surgery was done under a local and I was back to work (office job) the follwoing day and able to do the horses and ride within a couple of weeks (which may have been a bit quick but I was happy), it was well worth it for the joy of sleeping at night again.
 
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