allergic to splints - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Message Board

alc44 · 10-25-2008, 07:39 PM

I have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel and have tried wearing wrist splints at night. I have discovered that I'm very allergic to both latex and neoprene, which all spints I've used contain. Does anyone know of a wrist splint that doesn't contain latex or neoprene?

Johands333 · 10-26-2008, 05:28 AM

could you buy the neoprene and then cover them with something like flannel, or cotton or something you are not allergic to?

alc44 · 10-26-2008, 11:21 AM

I tried sewing a cotton lining into a neoprene splint. That worked fine until I washed the splint. Evidently, washing the splint released some of the fibers, and they got into the lining. I had a severe allergic reaction to the washed splint that eventually covered my entire body. At this point, I don't want to be in proximity to any latex or neoprene splint.

Johands333 · 10-26-2008, 02:48 PM

How good are you at sewing? I think a leather wrist support or another fabric could be cut and made into a splint. I used to sew a lot (it's how I got cts) and my wrist supports can be flat and then I wrap them around and velcro the parts together. I wonder if they make leather or another fabric type wrist support. Why don't you e-mail some of the manufacturers? I often think if manufacturers made splint-gloves that people in winter would buy them up like crazy. I wish they had those back when I needed them most. Since having surgery I don't drive with splints, but I need weight lifters gloves to protect my hands when I drive. Could you buy some gloves and make an insert for the hard plastic part that goes into where it would be in a support?

Paddy55 · 10-26-2008, 04:05 PM

I use my husband's white cotton socks. Put them on like a mitton. Put your splint on over top. Roll the tops of the socks up over the splint to protect your skin there. Where your thumb pokes out, cut a very small hole in the sock near the end of your thumb. It will stretch a bit. Then depending on how long your fingers protrude out the end of the splint and whether you need/want your fingers to be available, cut the "toe" of the sock so your fingers are free the amount you want them to be "exposed".

That's okay for home. For out to work or church etc., I use the fine cotton gloves available in pharmacies. They are sold for overnight cream treatment of dry hands, and for pulling on hose avoiding snags and pulls. Anyway, I buy them, cut just the finger tips and I'm good to go. Problem with them is the length of the glove may not be long enough to protect you from the splint. And depending on how "fussy" you are, you can hand sew the ends or turn them with sewing tape etc.

Hope this helps,
Paddy