Carpal Tunnel
 

Feeling the effects of carpal tunnel on my right hand for a few weeks now and it's quite annoying. I've just been wearing a wrist brace and occassionally applying muscle/joint reliever ointment to reduce the pain. I suffered it from years of working on the computer mouse on a desk job. Any recommendations on how to treat it?

stretches relieve the pain and put ice on it before you go to sleep. a brace definitely is a must for someone who works in front of a computer all day. if you start feeling pain during the day, just stretch the wrist and shake your whole arm a couple times. The only permanent fix is to get a surgery.

Thanks. I youtubed some stretching videos and my wrist is starting to feel better. Most feedback on youtube recommend wearing the wrist brace at night but avoid it during the day and rather do more stretches to open up the carpal tunnel. I'm trying to avoid surgery all together.

yea most would recommend not wearing a wrist brace in the day but the problem is, you wear out your wrist by using it for work so you need to support it with a wrist brace in order to lessen the pain and inflammation.

You should make sure you go to a doctor and get an actual diagnosis too rather then diagnosing yourself. There's several nerve and joint problems that can cause similar symptoms to carpal tunnel syndrome but don't actually have the same treatments.

Stretching is good, and anti inflammatory med (Advil, Aleve - don't take the latter if you have any blood issues that wouldn't allow you to take asprin) will help. I find hot/cold treatment works well for me personally for that sort of stuff as well (particularly hot for me, but some people do better with cold)

I heard that once I get this, it's for life?

I got carpal tunnel in my left wrist and had to have surgery one year after the symptoms started. I was at the point where the pain/condition turned into a disability, my hand became immobile, the nerve pain became unbearable and I was no longer able to sleep/drive/work etc. My carpal tunnel diagnosis was confirmed by a neurologist then I was referred to a neurosurgeon.

Surgery was my last resort, but when the pain got severe enough, I didn't question the procedure as I was at the point where I'd do anything to make the pain go away and get off the constant strong painkillers/narcotics and live a 'normal' life again. The surgery only takes 20 minutes and you are awake (but your arm is completely numb so you don't feel a thing). First 3 days after are awful, but then day by day it's very slowly starts to heal. I was off work for 4 weeks after the surgery, then did a gradual return to work program with rehabilitation. I have no scar as the 1 inch incision was done along a line/crease on the palm of my hand.

It's been almost three years and I'm still pain free. I have a desk job as well which is about 90% computer work, 40hrs a week. It's difficult to get rid of carpal tunnel if you continue to do the motion that is the cause of the pain/inflamation.

Since your symptoms not too bad at this time, I would highly recommend that you see your doctor and then a physiotherapist to get proper treatment, stretching, exercise to hopefully prevent it form getting worse. As mentioned you should try to minimize the use of a splint during the day as you will start loosing strength/ muscle/ mobility. Apply heat/ice. In addition, I would also recommend that you make sure your workstation is ergonomically correct as well as looking your posture when you are at the keyboard. I know I had developed some lazy typing habits overtime which added unwanted stress to the repetitive movement.

-C

Can carpal tunnel occasionally recur? For the last three weeks, my right hand has been going numb/hurting at the wrist starting at the end of the work week, and stopping the following Tuesday once I use my brace for a few hours at work. I'm in the automotive trade, so repetitive actions are the norm.

yes, unless u get surgery, which might or might not work (and can return if u dont take care of it)

basically stop doing whatever you're doing so much.


i've been keyboarding since grade 4. im 28 now.

im starting to feel it in my left wrist. it's not good. pisses the me the hell off. lol. so now i just keyboard less.

Once you're done treating:

www.colemak.com

I had a mild case of it before, also cause of a desk job. I read online that taking vitamin B6 helps so I gave it a shot. Took it daily for a several weeks and it went away, never returned. Try it out and see if it works.

i've got a mild case of it in my right wrist as well. currently wearing wrist splint at night. maybe i should try that vitamin b6 and the stretches as well... i work in a factory setting which involves a lot of repetitive motion..