Anyone have Carpal Tunnel?

[Guest]

I've been notcing some pain in my wrists as of late, sometimes my fingers feel like they are going 'asleep' when there seems to be no reason for it.

Just wondering if anyone has delt with this before I go into the doctors office without any health insurance

[Jake Bunce]

I started getting that same numbness several years ago, but most of my pain is in my forearms. Ice down your forearms and wrists on a regular basis. Also take breaks where you flex your wrists and forearms to loosen them up. Proper keyboarding position helps too.

I also go to a massage person every couple of weeks who does something called "cross-friction fiber massage" on the tendons in my forearms which, in combination with the ice, completely relieves the symptoms.

Doctors will prescribe anti-inflammatories which I don't recommend.

It has become a maintenance thing for me - either that or I have to limit my computer time which ain't gonna happen.

[Fusion]

I agree with Jake.
By all means, see your doc, if nothing else to get it confirmed, but skip any and all anti-inflammatory meds.

[Guest]

I agree with Jake.
By all means, see your doc, if nothing else to get it confirmed, but skip any and all anti-inflammatory meds.

What sort of tests do they run to confirm it?

I'll try the ice thing to see if that helps, thanks Jake.

[Jake Bunce]

Does it hurt when I do this? Can you feel this?

That's all they do. It isn't hard to know what it is, they just make sure it isn't really bad and then prescribe treatment from there.

[Guest]

Does it hurt when I do this? Can you feel this?

That's all they do. It isn't hard to know what it is, they just make sure it isn't really bad and then prescribe treatment from there.

Ah just making sure they won't send me in for an x-ray. I still owe the hospital a lot of money for the CAT scans I'll never pay off

[free thinker]

Both wrists, since I was seventeen. I used to work and build houses with my dad since age 10. Swingin hammers, turning pipe wrenches, carrying weed whips. etc...

Some day I'll get the surgery.

[Bema Jinn]

Ah just making sure they won't send me in for an x-ray. I still owe the hospital a lot of money for the CAT scans I'll never pay off

Thank god for the NHS. (England)

[Cole2026]

I've been notcing some pain in my wrists as of late, sometimes my fingers feel like they are going 'asleep' when there seems to be no reason for it.

Just wondering if anyone has delt with this before I go into the doctors office without any health insurance

I have a problem alot like this, all in a different spot though. My left leg + foot goes numb every once and a while, usually at random daily intervals, no one I have found can tell me why it happens, I do not have any physical problems that would induce it, normal blood pressure, everything healthy, it just happens.

I wouldn't think it is anything serious, but just get checked in case.

[someuser190826]

I have a problem alot like this, all in a different spot though. My left leg + foot goes numb every once and a while, usually at random daily intervals, no one I have found can tell me why it happens, I do not have any physical problems that would induce it, normal blood pressure, everything healthy, it just happens.

I wouldn't think it is anything serious, but just get checked in case.

This used to happen to me. When my feet would be just sitting there for long periods of time and are exposed to the cold (when I am wearing shorts) The muscles in the leg (foot) goes numb and really hurts. What happens is that the ankle somehow locks up....what I have found to fix this is bend your ankle -- it hurts, but it works.

[Onimua]

I've been notcing some pain in my wrists as of late, sometimes my fingers feel like they are going 'asleep' when there seems to be no reason for it.

Just wondering if anyone has delt with this before I go into the doctors office without any health insurance

Never had to go through that here. Whenever I'm on a computer, my hands are usually doing something different other than just typing, especially if I'm eating, watching TV, etc.

Also keeps me from getting eye strain, as I'm not always looking at the monitor, but looking around (like the T.V.), out my window (I have a really nice view out of my window. ) and other stuff.

[KingSpade]

It really depends, if I am on a normal keyboard, I'm fine, though when I'm on my laptop, then I have the same symptoms. CT isn't that hard to recognize, a great deal of people have it and work through it, it just depends on how bad it is effecting you when you're on the computer.

I would suggest talking with your doctor, though, as mentioned above, forget the medication as it probably won't help you much, if any (a friend of mine has it pretty bad, he says they don't work at all).

As for X-Rays, I don't think they'd do too much good considering they show mainly the bones and the structure of the bones. I don't know too much about them, they may show muscle tone and structure as well (some anyway), though I don't think they can show stress on the muscle.

[Wayne Luke]

You should have it checked out. I have it and my left hand is almost always in a brace. When it isn't even a few minutes at the keyboard can result in throbbing pain and "dead fingers". My right arm is a little better but not much. I find that using the mouse as much as possible helps with a lot of things except for actual typing.

Only medication I ever take for it though is a couple of Tylenol when it gets really bad. Frequent breaks and stretching exercises for your fingers and wrists help a lot. I have a friend that gives massages as well.

[Wayne Luke]

As for X-Rays, I don't think they'd do too much good considering they show mainly the bones and the structure of the bones. I don't know too much about them, they may show muscle tone and structure as well (some anyway), though I don't think they can show stress on the muscle.

They can but it requires being injected with a radioactive isotope, usually barium or radioactive iodine. MRIs have a lot more detail and don't require getting nuked before hand to work.

[someuser190826]

Um, does anyone have this other problem: My right hand, wrist locks up and doesn't go away for many days - if I start lifting weights on a regular basis at the gym then it goes away otherwise it pains when I move my hand around.