PLEASE Help! - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Message Board

KelliD · 08-19-2005, 11:25 AM

My doctor believes I have early stages of carpal tunnel syndrome. I have the classic symptoms in both wrists/hands.

What I need to know is this: Do any of you with CTS ever experience radiant pain in your arms that feels like electrical shock?

I also have MS. I am trying to sort one from the other.

This morning I began experiencing simulatneous "electrical shocks" in my left wrist, bend of left elbow, and left armpit. Putting on a splint has relieved the symptoms sugnificantly.

Thanks in advance for your input....!

katie865 · 08-23-2005, 08:11 PM

I Just had carpel tunnel surgery on the 15th. I get my stictches out on Friday but it looks to me like it hasn't healed and will split wide open as soon as the stitches are taken out. It doesn't look infected. I had symptoms for 5 months before I had the surgery. I had like electrical shocks but they were just in my fingers and wrist. When I had the nerve conduction study it only showed damage in the wrist. He said you can get it in the elbow too but mine didn't show any there. My biggest problem was I would wake up in the middle of the night and morning with my hand being completely numb and swollen and when it was starting to wake up it would ache something terrible. My doc said there are 3 stages of carpel tunnel: mild, moderate and severe. Mine was very severe. After the surgery I started wearing a splint and he said I was to keep it on 24/7 for 8 weeks. I haven't noticed if the surgery helped yet as I am still having pain from the surgery. I hope this helps you.

KelliD · 08-24-2005, 02:35 PM

Hi Katie...that does help some..thanks! My sister had the CT surgery too, like you. I know it looks like the incision will burst, but it won't! Just take it easy.

I looked up the median nerve on the internet and saw an artist's representation of one and found that it extends from the wrist to the elbow, under the upper arm, across the chest and up the neck.

Part of my problem with getting treatment is that my orthopedist is as uncertain as me which part of my problems are related to MS and which are blamed on CTS. Agh!

jo333 · 08-25-2005, 03:23 PM

Kelli,
I had ct surgery on July 20th. I had pain that radiated up my arm from time to time. When I drove, if I drove far, I'd have attacks where my arms went to sleep on me. I have a friend who has MS and she put her condition this way: she can see her hands moving doing what she wants them to. The muscles work ok. But she can't feel them. Is this what you experience with MS? She said it's like they go to sleep and then become numb. With cts, you know you have it. It's painful. Thumb, pointer and middle finger are most affected. They feel sprained all the time.

julesmba · 08-25-2005, 05:03 PM

dear kellid
excuse punctuation as i am typing without my hands as i had the bilateral release yesterday.
i wanted to say my arms and shoulders were tense and ached for years, i also had sharpe electrical type burning sensations as you describe at times. as far as i can tell at this early stage this has gone already - amazing.
i was diagnosed with fms, but surgeon thinks this may have been wrong - fingers crossed.
i would recommend the op rather than putting up with all that pain - especially when you are already coping with the ms.

best wishes

julie