OT: Carpal Tunnel Surgery?

[CaseyCor]

I've had Carpal Tunnel for a very long time now, and avoided getting the surgery because I was afraid I'd lose my muscle strength. Some pages I've read state that 10-25% of people suffer from this. Being a musician/computer IT for a living, this scares the shit out of me. This may sound stupid, but if I lose the ability to play guitar/drums/video games, I will most likely lose the will to live.

But lately it's been getting worse. After a few minutes of playing drums, my fingers go numb/tingle, and stay that way for hours on end. My index finger on my right hand is still doing this as I type, 2 hours after playing drums.

So, has anyone had the surgery, and how was it? Is it stupid for me to be afraid of this, or should I avoid the surgery?


Thanks,
-Casey

 

[Random Hero]

It's all that MW2 you play

 

[Concamcoop]

I had carpal tunnel surgey about 4.5 years ago. No problem whatsoerver with strength. I can play as much as I want. No issues at all. There are also strengthening exercises you can do to rehabilitate faster. Doctor just said take it easy and get back into playing slowly.

Total success for me

 

[mboogman]

That's a good question for me too. Sometimes I feel like I'm headed in the same direction.

 

[CaseyCor]

It's all that MW2 you play

Haha, you're about right!

I used to play Halo 2 for about 6 hours a day, practicing for tournaments. I hated it, but it beat having to actually work

I used to play guitar imbetween Halo matches back then Get to play for 2 minutes while Matchmaking finds my team another match.

 

[kannibul]

I've had Carpal Tunnel for a very long time now, and avoided getting the surgery because I was afraid I'd lose my muscle strength. Some pages I've read state that 10-25% of people suffer from this. Being a musician/computer IT for a living, this scares the shit out of me. This may sound stupid, but if I lose the ability to play guitar/drums/video games, I will most likely lose the will to live.

But lately it's been getting worse. After a few minutes of playing drums, my fingers go numb/tingle, and stay that way for hours on end. My index finger on my right hand is still doing this as I type, 2 hours after playing drums.

So, has anyone had the surgery, and how was it? Is it stupid for me to be afraid of this, or should I avoid the surgery?


Thanks,
-Casey

I've had the surgery. I was back at work 2 weeks later after each surgery, and I have all, if not more, strength in my hands now than I did then. I also was fairly aggressive with doing my own rehab quickly after surgery. The day after, I was already playing on my x-box, trying to eat soup with a spoon using the operated on hand, etc. About a week later, I was driving my stick-shift truck....

There are certain things I can't do without a bit of pain (pushups with palms on the ground - puts a lot of pressure and creates some minor pain) - but outside of those kinds of oddities, it's worked out great.

The thing is, with CTS, the longer you wait, the more nerve damage, and eventually, muscle damage (atrophy) you'll have.

You should get the surgery...short of maybe having a steriod shot in the area to see if it can calm the nerves/tendons in the area long enough to "heal"

 

[kannibul]

I had carpal tunnel surgey about 4.5 years ago. No problem whatsoerver with strength. I can play as much as I want. No issues at all. There are also strengthening exercises you can do to rehabilitate faster. Doctor just said take it easy and get back into playing slowly.

Total success for me

I was playing guitar well before my stitches came out.

I play guitar better now than I did before - I have a TON of strength, and as a result, more dexterity. Same with playing drums...I had both my hands AND elbows done, and it made quite an improvement.

 

[CaseyCor]

My index finger is STILL numb/tingling. Has been since 5 yesterday.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Few things how often do you do appropriate stretches before you play drums and guitar?

There's quite a few videos, and I was having arm problems my self mostly in forearms from tendinitis but sometimes in the wrists as well it would get really bad.

Stretching is absolute key, also as silly as it sounds I've heard quite a few people recommend acupuncture for CT related issues and had it work, and another guy I know actually started doing yoga to deal with some of the problems he was getting from playing so much, and since hes been in top notch shape with no issues.

All of these sound like silly ideas but they are all IMO worth exploring before getting an operation done.

Dallas

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Oh one more thing... using inappropriate technique and posture both can play a huge role in repeated stress injuries.

Make sure your guitar is positioned properly and not slung to low, make sure your throne is the right height, and your not leaning weird etc,. I've got a buddy of mine who getting a lot of PT at the moment for his back from playing piano and drums, it's really bad some days so much so that he can't play, he's an amazing musician... Hope this helps!

Dallas

 

[kannibul]

My index finger is STILL numb/tingling. Has been since 5 yesterday.

Find a surgeon. If you're interested, I'll give you the name of mine here in Tulsa that took care of mine. I found out that he was "stolen" from another state because he's so damn good...lol

My results (and a few of my coworkers) have all been great.

 

[kannibul]

Few things how often do you do appropriate stretches before you play drums and guitar?

There's quite a few videos, and I was having arm problems my self mostly in forearms from tendinitis but sometimes in the wrists as well it would get really bad.

Stretching is absolute key, also as silly as it sounds I've heard quite a few people recommend acupuncture for CT related issues and had it work, and another guy I know actually started doing yoga to deal with some of the problems he was getting from playing so much, and since hes been in top notch shape with no issues.

All of these sound like silly ideas but they are all IMO worth exploring before getting an operation done.

Dallas

With numbness for 15 hours...stretching won't help.

 

[CaseyCor]

Oh one more thing... using inappropriate technique and posture both can play a huge role in repeated stress injuries.

Make sure your guitar is positioned properly and not slung to low, make sure your throne is the right height, and your not leaning weird etc,. I've got a buddy of mine who getting a lot of PT at the moment for his back from playing piano and drums, it's really bad some days so much so that he can't play, he's an amazing musician... Hope this helps!

Dallas

I have found streching before playing helpful in relieving pain during/after playing. I do a quick strech before playing drums every time.

 

[CaseyCor]

Few things how often do you do appropriate stretches before you play drums and guitar?

There's quite a few videos, and I was having arm problems my self mostly in forearms from tendinitis but sometimes in the wrists as well it would get really bad.

Stretching is absolute key, also as silly as it sounds I've heard quite a few people recommend acupuncture for CT related issues and had it work, and another guy I know actually started doing yoga to deal with some of the problems he was getting from playing so much, and since hes been in top notch shape with no issues.

All of these sound like silly ideas but they are all IMO worth exploring before getting an operation done.

Dallas

With numbness for 15 hours...stretching won't help.

Could it be anything else other than CT?

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Few things how often do you do appropriate stretches before you play drums and guitar?

There's quite a few videos, and I was having arm problems my self mostly in forearms from tendinitis but sometimes in the wrists as well it would get really bad.

Stretching is absolute key, also as silly as it sounds I've heard quite a few people recommend acupuncture for CT related issues and had it work, and another guy I know actually started doing yoga to deal with some of the problems he was getting from playing so much, and since hes been in top notch shape with no issues.

All of these sound like silly ideas but they are all IMO worth exploring before getting an operation done.

Dallas

With numbness for 15 hours...stretching won't help.

The point is you do it every day always before and after, and you spend literally 20 minutes doing it before you touch anything. Youtube John Petrucci video about stretching, guitar literally uses nearly every muscle in your upper body. Stretching is always important.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Few things how often do you do appropriate stretches before you play drums and guitar?

There's quite a few videos, and I was having arm problems my self mostly in forearms from tendinitis but sometimes in the wrists as well it would get really bad.

Stretching is absolute key, also as silly as it sounds I've heard quite a few people recommend acupuncture for CT related issues and had it work, and another guy I know actually started doing yoga to deal with some of the problems he was getting from playing so much, and since hes been in top notch shape with no issues.

All of these sound like silly ideas but they are all IMO worth exploring before getting an operation done.

Dallas

With numbness for 15 hours...stretching won't help.

Could it be anything else other than CT?

I have no idea man, and I'm not a doc nor can I help diagnose you but I'm at a school where people play nearly every instrument to obsessive levels... I've got a thing I can scan for you I got from the doc for CT syndrome a few exercises you can try... give me a few I'll scan them for ya.

 

[kannibul]

Few things how often do you do appropriate stretches before you play drums and guitar?

There's quite a few videos, and I was having arm problems my self mostly in forearms from tendinitis but sometimes in the wrists as well it would get really bad.

Stretching is absolute key, also as silly as it sounds I've heard quite a few people recommend acupuncture for CT related issues and had it work, and another guy I know actually started doing yoga to deal with some of the problems he was getting from playing so much, and since hes been in top notch shape with no issues.

All of these sound like silly ideas but they are all IMO worth exploring before getting an operation done.

Dallas

With numbness for 15 hours...stretching won't help.

Could it be anything else other than CT?

Possible...get an EMG (Electro-my-ograph is how it's pronounced) done. It's a test where they check the nerve conduction at specific points along your arm from your shoulder to your hand. If there's a resistance, it will show where it's happening. It could be your neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist or some other condition.

But, given your desciption, I would say more than likely, it's CTS.


The surgery isn't bad. Mobilize as soon as you can afterwards, that way you don't end up needing rehab to build up the muscles again.

I know when I came out of surgery, I noticed an IMMEDIATELY better level of sensation though my fingers.

Honestly, the worst part was learning to wipe my ass with my other hand. I made it a point to practice a few weeks before surgery

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Here's the little packet the first page or so is stuff you already know but the exercises are on P3-4

 

[IndyWS6]

Greetings all,
After lurking for a while, I'm a new forum menber

I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV, so I'm just relating personal experience. I had numbness, tingling, pain and other symptoms in my left hand that were more-or-less consistent with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I put off doing anything about it thinking that CTS was no big deal. It got to the point where I was consistently dropping things and the symptoms could no longer be ignored so I went to see my family doctor. He ran some nerve conduction tests and sent me to a surgeon; turns out it was Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (a trapped/irritated ulnar nerve...). Unfortunately, I had ignored the issue for so long that I lost muscle mass in the heel of my hand and forearm, as well as a measurable amount of prehensile strength (the ability to grip and squeeze with fingers and thumb). The surgeon did a wonderful job of fixing the issue (shout out to Dr. Burt D.), but it was no picnic. It took a 9" incision from the middle of my bicep to the middle of my forearm for him to get in there, fix the issues and relocate the nerve. After 6 years I have never fully regained the lost muscle in the heel of my hand and forearm, but I would say that I am 90% of what I was. Sadly, I started having the same symptoms in my right hand 2 years later. I promptly scheduled the surgery.

My surgeon said that Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is what kept me from being a world-class shredder. Well, that and a supreme lack of talent

 

[Dallas Marlow]

Greetings all,
After lurking for a while, I'm a new forum menber

I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV, so I'm just relating personal experience. I had numbness, tingling, pain and other symptoms in my left hand that were more-or-less consistent with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I put off doing anything about it thinking that CTS was no big deal. It got to the point where I was consistently dropping things and the symptoms could no longer be ignored so I went to see my family doctor. He ran some nerve conduction tests and sent me to a surgeon; turns out it was Cubital Tunnel Syndrome (a trapped/irritated ulnar nerve...). Unfortunately, I had ignored the issue for so long that I lost muscle mass in the heel of my hand and forearm, as well as a measurable amount of prehensile strength (the ability to grip and squeeze with fingers and thumb). The surgeon did a wonderful job of fixing the issue (shout out to Dr. Burt D.), but it was no picnic. It took a 9" incision from the middle of my bicep to the middle of my forearm for him to get in there, fix the issues and relocate the nerve. After 6 years I have never fully regained the lost muscle in the heel of my hand and forearm, but I would say that I am 90% of what I was. Sadly, I started having the same symptoms in my right hand 2 years later. I promptly scheduled the surgery.

My surgeon said that Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is what kept me from being a world-class shredder. Well, that and a supreme lack of talent

Jeeze man that is brutal, is that a rare syndrome? Makes me think everyone should get checked!