Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

[Ravenous Wolf]

I would like to know from the people who have had it, how was it diagnosed and how was it treated? And was it completely cured?

I am going to visit a new doctor in a week or two and I am going to ask for a referral (I don't need a referral but I want to get an opinion on it first).

[isislc]

Believe it or not, it actually starts in your upper back and eventually makes its way down to your hand/wrists. If you have done any type of repetitive work or done any physical damage to the area between the index finger and thumb. Just that alone makes you a candidate for possibly having it.

Sometimes doctors misdiagnose if you accidentally sprain your wrist or the area but it usually heals. Pretty much the pain runs along the inner wrist area and along the joint of your thumb between the fingers. If it goes away and you continue to have flare ups every now and then in the same are, it's pretty sure you have it. The doctors try to get you into surgery but even then you run into the problem of having nerve damage and it DOES NOT cure the problem. Even with surgery, it can and usually will still happen again. I have had mine for almost 18 yrs now and still no surgeries.

What I ended up with is a brace to keep it immobilized during flare ups and ibuprofen. Heating pads and warm compresses help too. My flare ups usually last a few days and then I'm good again. They don't happen very often either. The pain and damage is different for each person so you need to decide if you can live with a brace and ibuprofen for flare ups or if it's so painful you need surgery.

Mine get somewhat painful but it's manageable and I'm careful on what kind of activity I do during that time. I'm actually going through a flare up now. If you choose not to get surgery, ask to be fitted for a brace. They make this plastic brace to the form of your hand, wrist and arm right there in the office. It keeps the wrist and hand fully immobilized. Nothing like the cheap crap you get at the pharmacy that just covers the palm. This does the whole area which works pretty great and is removable as well as washable. GL on that and take the Ibu and use the heating pad. If the area looks swelled then swap between ice packs and heating pad.

[TTigggers]

I don't know how anyone feels about chiropractors but mine has helped me with my Carpal Tunnel a great deal.

All of the doctors I talked to told me that I needed surgery (Which I did not want) and that I would have a hard time using my hands within the year.

Well I brought it up to my chiropractor and he was able to help me without surgery.
It took about 6 months for me to improve but since them I've been good.
I usually go for an appointment once a month to get everything adjusted.

It's been about 2 years now and so far so good no problems.