I was to my doctor (we don't have insurance and go to a free clinic) and told him my symptoms and he more or less confirmed my suspicions that I have it. I told him when I do certain things my thumb, index finger, and middle finger go numb and I get a pins and needles feeling. This has been going on for probably at least 3 months, which I was hoping it would go away but it hasn't. I can't sew a button on a shirt without giving my hands a rest several times. In bed at night I wake up and my fingers are numb. Sometimes my arms ache so bad I can hardly stand it; it kept me awake a few nights ago.
The doctor sent me to the hospital to have blood taken and he briefly mentioned thyroid, but I don't know what that has to do with the CTS. So does the blood test determine if I positively have CTS? I forget what he called the tests, something like TSH? I had the tests done last Tuesday but haven't heard back about them yet, so today it's a week and no news.
The doctor told me to wear Carpal Tunnel braces/splints for 3 weeks and if it's not better by then, he'll send me to ortho for a cortisone shot (he might have said "shots" because I have it in both hands). Where exactly do they give the shots? I hate getting any kind of shots, but if it means that I'll get over this, I'll get it. It has to be better than putting up with this aching, tingling, etc.
I hope that these braces will make my symptoms go away. At least I know that the shot is available if I need that, but if that doesn't help, then I'm at a loss what to do. Since we don't have insurance, surgery is out of the question. I can't picture me wearing braces the rest of my life if it has to come to that! I just hope that I didn't wait to long to bring this to the doctor's attention.
I could have written this post. I just saw my doc because I keep waking up in the middle of the night with numb arms/hands/fingers (on both sides) and thought I had a pinched nerve. He did some poking around on my body and came to the conclusion that it's CTS. He said he could fit me for braces, but most insurance doesn't pay for it and the one's you can buy in the drug store or sporting good shops are the same thing and cheaper. He said to take 800mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours, wear the braces (ESPECIALLY in bed at night) and hopefully that will help.
My left arm was aching so much that I almost wanted to beg him for something besides ibuprofen because I was losing my mind at night trying to sleep.
I actually had some old Rollerblade wrist guards (don't laugh, I'm buying REAL one's today) and they have really made a difference. However, I think the key is to seriously give your arms a rest for a few weeks. Even typing this post, my left arm is going numb.
I just wanted to say that my symptoms and diagnosis are exactly the same. Get those braces!! It will help.
Hi ComeOnNow. TSH is a thyroid function test. I think your doctor wants to rule out the possibility that a thyroid issue might be causing your problems. I have had hypothyroid for 25 years, and I know that thyroid imbalances can cause ALL kinds of problems.
I just got the results from the nerve testing that my neurologist ran a couple weeks ago. I have CTS. It was NOT a fun test, but it was interesting to "hear" the noise in my nerves when he was testing me. I was not actually referred to the neurologist for CTS. I have been having some frightening health issues for the past year, and my doctor had several MRIs done. The MRI's showed degenerative changes in my spine, so the neurologist was trying to determine if those changes are causing any impact on my nerves in my arms and legs. Oddly enough, CTS was found.
Since that visit, I have done hours and hours of research. I have found that menopause can "cause" or contribute to CTS. I am dealing with peri/meno - pause, so I am hoping that my CTS may be due to hormonal changes and I am praying that if I ever get through this "rotten season called menopause" that my CTS will resolve. I do not know how old you are, or if you are even old enough to be dealing with menopause, but I wanted to share that because it did calm my nerves some to know that it (CTS) wasn't due to some other serious problem.
I hope you can find something to relieve your discomfort. I try to flex and contract my hands as often as I can during the day. It seems to help stop the tingling and numbness that oftens comes before the horrible pain.
MamaToThree,
You do sound a lot like me with the CTS. I hate this and wish it would go away. I've been wearing the braces and taking ibuprofen and even have been staying off of the computer, but it still seems the same as it was. I have another doctor appointment coming up this week, but I really don't know what it's going to accomplish since we don't have insurance since my husband lost his job over 2 years ago. The doctor had said about sending me to orthpedics to get shots in my arms, but I imagine that the appointment wouldn't be cheap, and we just don't have the money to spare. So I'm basically at a loss what to do. I'm only going in to the doc this week because my husband insists that I see him, but unless the doc pays for my bill (yeah, right), I'm thinking I might have to live like this. I not only have the tingling and numbness but also pain all the way down my forearm. It hurts so much it's like I can feel it in my bones! I just don't know what to do at this point.
RigelBee, I'm surprised I got those letters right (TSH). Since posting before,the results came back and they're normal.
Like you, I've had an MRI done because of the back pain I've been having for years that has gotten to be terrible. It showed that I have degenerative disc disease. Depressing.
It's funny that you should say that menopause can cause or contribute to CTS. I guess I just went through menopause because I haven't had my period for a little over a year. Otherwise, I wouldn't even know that I went through it because I didn' have anything like hot flashes, thank goodness. I don't really know exactly what time period menopause is considered being. Like since I haven't had my period for so long, would I now be post menopausal? I really don't know. So I don't know if that could be causing my CTS or not. I suspect not though. I really think that all of the digging I did with a trowel ever since the beginning of April is what has caused this. I was out there for hours each day for 3 months digging out sod, and my hands took a beating. I really wish now that I hadn't done it, but it's too late now. Oh, I'm 52 btw.
I sure hope the doctor can figure out what I can do about this. I have no idea where this is going to go. All I know is that it is painful. I'm trying to hang in there.
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