Carpal tunnel syndrome; what's helped you?

[MOAAH]

i've also wound up with nerve entrapment from repetitive motion as well. come to think of it.. you're right. getting old sucks.

I had something else(tennis elbow) that made me lose all my strength for a bit in my right arm & wrist, but that was from poor typing posture and healed up as soon as I got a ergonomic keyboard.
I've been having some great results fighting the years back up till now, just by pushing myself to work out 3 or more hours each day, but this is different.

 

[MOAAH]

Screw medication. Screw surgery.

Bikram Yoga, there is one posture in particular which heals tennis elbow, tendonitis, carpal tunnel and wrist issues. Posture is called Salabhasana and it hurts like crazy, but worked for me. I don't think the posture in isolation will work though, gotta do the whole sequence under heat conditions several times a week.

Well that sounds pretty cool, I'll definately do some research into it, thanks.

And thanks to anyone I've missed and in advance to anyone else with further suggestions.

 

[hunter]

Screw medication. Screw surgery.

Bikram Yoga, there is one posture in particular which heals tennis elbow, tendonitis, carpal tunnel and wrist issues. Posture is called Salabhasana and it hurts like crazy, but worked for me. I don't think the posture in isolation will work though, gotta do the whole sequence under heat conditions several times a week.

Well that sounds pretty cool, I'll definately do some research into it, thanks.

And thanks to anyone I've missed and in advance to anyone else with further suggestions.

Yeah, and by the way, in the classes you are surrounded by half naked, sweaty hotties, which can help motivation quite a bit in the beginning

 

[1big1]

my doctor's advice was pretty similar. keep active. keep doing everything you've always done.. just remember that while you're doing it you need to stop and smell the roses once in a while. i've done the diet thing for ra and it helps.. in moderation.. but he kept coming back to the getting proper rest thing.. which i think has helped me more than just about any other advice. while some of my friends are out carrying on.. i'm already asleep. it sucks.. but i just have to adjust to it.. it won't adjust to me.
best of luck with the ct treatment. i hope you find something that helps. the half naked sweaty hotties sounds motivational.

 

[MOAAH]

Yeah, and by the way, in the classes you are surrounded by half naked, sweaty hotties, which can help motivation quite a bit in the beginning

Sounds pretty good to me

my doctor's advice was pretty similar. keep active. keep doing everything you've always done.. just remember that while you're doing it you need to stop and smell the roses once in a while. i've done the diet thing for ra and it helps.. in moderation.. but he kept coming back to the getting proper rest thing.. which i think has helped me more than just about any other advice. while some of my friends are out carrying on.. i'm already asleep. it sucks.. but i just have to adjust to it.. it won't adjust to me.
best of luck with the ct treatment. i hope you find something that helps. the half naked sweaty hotties sounds motivational.

Well sleep is something that comes easy to me, except lately my fav show from when I was a kid(COMBAT) is on at 3AM. Dang if I don't have auto wake up about 2:55 each weekday morning. It's all good thou as I get right back to sleep soon after the show. Amazing how 50 years goes by and ya don't remember details of a show you watched like clockwork.
I just hope they don't start my fav Sci Fi from the 60s(The Invaders) before I've seen all the Combats again.., that could really screw me up.
Yeah, hotties are great, sweaty or not
Take care and thanks again.

 

[sandman]

I wear a trion z bracelet on both of my wrists ...carpal tunnel in both..i ordered the bracelets one size too small on purpose..I don't know if it's the magnetic properties or the pressure of it being too small that alleviates my pain...i need surgery but I'm basically pain free while wearing those.....I have noticed I can go longer without wearing them now after a diet change with cutting out processed foods..lower carb intake....no sodas....just water and coffee for me.

 

[tom_h]

Really good stuff, thanks.
I'm big on natural cures and my diet is full of fresh fruits and veggies. I may switch to almond milk, much better than that from a cow. I eat yogurt every weekday morning, yet to try the greek stuff, but I know it's better. I have been a believer in Omega3's for a long while, I may have to increase my daily dose.
Do you actually stretch your fingers? If so, how much?
Thanks again.

PS, can I ask what meds screwed up your tendons. I've been doing lipitor for about a decade, but I'm quiting now because i keep hearing about harmful effects and get some weird cramps that I can't explain otherwise.

I do stretch my fingers. For upper extremities, I start with my shoulders, and work my way down my arm, through the wrist and then the fingers. I stretch my wrists by first bending my palm in and stretching with the opposite hand. Then I put my hands together in "prayer" position and stretch each wrist backward. Then, I stretch my thumb using the "finkelstein test" stretch. Stretch thumb the opposite way, by pulling from the base, backward (gently, of course). I stretch my hands by spreading my fingers as wide apart as I can and holding for a few seconds each time. My fingers also get a gentle stretch with the "prayer" wrist stretch.

Then I pick up a guitar and start running through warm up excercises. I start with a chromatic "1-2-3-4-3-2-1" up, down, and across the neck. Next I do a "1-2-4" at whole step intervals (up, down, across). Then I progress from there... but I do these all very slowly and focused.

I was put on a regimen of meds to treat Crohn's Disease, which I turned out to be negative for. In addition, I was placed on multiple antibiotics... all at the same time. The medication believed to be responsible for the tendon damage is one of the "antibiotics", called Levaquin. Levaquin is part of a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. These attack bacteria by altering their DNA and cellular structure. These now commonly prescribed "antibiotics" were originally created as chemotherapy drugs and were reclassified for use as antibiotics.

Other fluoroquinolones include Ciprofloaxin and Avelox.

Ive also read and been told that Tumeric is one of the best natural remedies for joint inflammation as well

A Rheumatologist made the same recommendation to me. I use it when I can, but not daily. She also suggested that I make a "paste" with it and rub it on any inflamed areas. I have yet to try this, though.

After a couple of cortisone shots, my doc suggested PT.

I told one PT place that I had it for a year already, and they said it was too far progressed and I was SOOL...

Another PT place took me in for 5 months. We did the hot wax thing, hooked up electrodes, ultrasound, made my arm go twitch like a frog on the dissection table, ice, heat, and made a special splint that I had to wear almost 24/7 - that helped the most. If my thing didn't go away, I was to do surgery.

I absolutely refused cortisone shots. I had an orthopedist prescribe an oral steroid, which I also refused to take. That stuff is way too risky. Corticosteroids may reduce inflammation, or may not work at all... but one thing is for sure - they weaken your tendon with each injection. NO THANKS!

Screw medication. Screw surgery.

Bikram Yoga, there is one posture in particular which heals tennis elbow, tendonitis, carpal tunnel and wrist issues. Posture is called Salabhasana and it hurts like crazy, but worked for me. I don't think the posture in isolation will work though, gotta do the whole sequence under heat conditions several times a week.

I've been wanting to get into this. Haven't yet, though. I've heard great things about Bikram Yoga.

 

[glpg80]

Diet is a very large part of both the cause and allowing healing. Stress and not sleeping can progress the problem or not allow proper time to heal as CT and TE are both healed the most during sleep.

Increase your water intake tremendously. Drink gatorade since they are high in potassium and sodium. DO NOT PLAY AT ALL. Do not practice, do nothing that involves guitar to allow healing. Average times for my body are 6 weeks for severe cases. Massages of the forearm and finger stretches are a must. Allow for plenty of rest. Cold-packs to help remove severe inflamation and allow bloodflow to the fingertips if it becomes severe and begin the diet change. I also took an anti-inflammatory every other day during the first week of severe symptoms.

Further prevention includes washing my hands under hot water for a few minutes before playing long periods. stretches of the wrists/fingers.

I've had cases where i could barely stand to hold a pencil. Never had to go to a doctor for shots or any other case - every time it creeps up i follow these rules and everything heals back with no problems at all.

Since i am a programmer, in school, and playing guitar - i am always using my hands. These changes even work with this constant schedule/demand.

 

[MOAAH]

You guys are all great. I'm just checking in before bed, but there sure is some good input here!

Thanks everyone,
rob

 

[50MkII]

Glucosamine and Chondrotin, combined with a lay off.

+1. My father's doctor stated that works 50% of the time with his patients. Make sure you get adequate levels of each. You can find that info online.

Diet is a very large part of both the cause and allowing healing. Stress and not sleeping can progress the problem or not allow proper time to heal as CT and TE are both healed the most during sleep.

Increase your water intake tremendously. Drink gatorade since they are high in potassium and sodium. DO NOT PLAY AT ALL. Do not practice, do nothing that involves guitar to allow healing. Average times for my body are 6 weeks for severe cases. Massages of the forearm and finger stretches are a must. Allow for plenty of rest. Cold-packs to help remove severe inflamation and allow bloodflow to the fingertips if it becomes severe and begin the diet change. I also took an anti-inflammatory every other day during the first week of severe symptoms.

Further prevention includes washing my hands under hot water for a few minutes before playing long periods. stretches of the wrists/fingers.

Good suggestions there. Also consider applying chinese herbal packs https://www.pacherbs.com/products-page/ ... -p-17.html It is also offered in cream form, infrared heat activated, and cold. They can also be applied over night and work up to 8 hours! Look into foods with anti-flammatory powers such as Pineapple and stay away from those that cause inflammation. I am not sure of the areas affected, but maybe accupuncture is something you may want to consider.

Bikram Yoga is perhaps the best form of PT. Is quite regenerative and has wonderful healing powers especially after a muscle or joint-related injury. It is not for the weak at heart. You will need to stick it out for at least 3 weeks time period going on a regular basis before you can fully see the benefits it has to offer. Follow the instructions offered by your site regarding eating in advance, etc. The studio I go to keep the temps between 106-108F.

Great to see people helping others out. Good luck to you and your road to recovery is better than it appears.

 

[guitarmike]

I started feeling Carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands in 1995. The doctor told me that what I was feeling was nerves being compressed in the tunnel and being damaged. I had the surgery in 96 on my right hand and 98 on the left. After it healed up I never felt any pain from it again. Once the symptoms start permanent damage starts, if a natural cure works, great but the last thing you want to do is wait years before fixing the problem. The longer you compress your nerves the less likely you will ever see 100% relief. People that have Carpal tunnel syndrome for 20 years and then have the surgery stop further damage with the procedure but once the damage is done and you feel the pain from it, you are screwed.

We get Carpal tunnel syndrome from over use and if you over used your hands/wrists you probably overused your elbows and shoulders too.

Getting old does indeed suck once your body decides to fight back

 

[Haljon]

I have it bad in both hands. I'm at the point where the only thing that will help is surgery. I also have a pinched nerve in my neck at the spot where those nerves are the ones that go into my arms and hands. So playing my guitar or typing this is very hard to control my arms and hands. For me surgery for both issues is my only option left. Ive done all the PT and injections and nothing has helped.....

 

[fek]

If you are close to Cleveland, there is a place that advertises men only naked yoga. I have no plans on checking it out but it sure would be a distraction from your pain. If you are into that kind of thing.

 

[MOAAH]

If you are close to Cleveland, there is a place that advertises men only naked yoga. I have no plans on checking it out but it sure would be a distraction from your pain. If you are into that kind of thing.

I can't think of anything I'd rather NOT do, thanks I just threw up my breakfast

As for the real deal good info further above, thanks guys, more and more good IDs. I think I'll quit playin' if that will help, I can always pick it up later when hopefully this gets better. My diet is very good except I may drop my dairy foods. Dang that maybe hard, cheese really can add to the taste of stuff. For now I'm leaving my brace on almost 24/7, staying off my bike, using cold packs more often, and stocking up on pineapple.