Anyone here ever had (mild or severe) a case of carpal tunnel syndrome? How long were you on treatment and do you still get it/is it recurring?

If you've never had it, then do you do anything to prevent yourself from getting it? Such as mouse/keyboard gel pads, etc.

I don't have it yet, but I wouldn't doubt if I do start to develop it sometime soon.

Starting to get it... my wrists get sore, usually not bad.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?







:confused:

Courtesy of WebMD.com:
"Carpal tunnel syndrome is the term used to describe a specific group of symptoms (tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain) in the fingers or hand and occasionally in the lower arm and elbow. These symptoms occur when there is pressure on a nerve (median nerve) within the wrist (carpal tunnel)."

If that doesn't help then you can always look up Carpal tunnel at webmd.com

Anyway, the reason I asked the questions that I did is because I think that I may have it. My lower arm and wrists get sore and sometimes it feels uncomfortable and there is some (very little) pain. It's been that way since Sunday of last week, I made an appointment with my doctor, but it isn't until next week Thursday. I did talk to my doctor on the phone and she said to take some medication and stop using the computer for a month... I would do that but I have homework that needs to be done on the computer, and I also have a computer class that is required for me to take. So, as you can see, I'm quite worried. Carpal Tunnel can be a very serious problem and my cousin had it and she can't use her hands very well. She had to stop playing the piano and couldn't use the computer at all due to the fact that her hands couldn't do the tasks.

I have carpal tunnel syndrom pretty bad actually. Every morning both my hands are numb and it wakes me up a few times during the night so I have to "shake it off". It sucks especially since I've only been typing for 6-7 years and I'm only 26 :( ...Oh well.

ive had it before mildly. it comes back once and a while but it was the desk i was using fault switched desk and it went away somewhat most gel pads dont work just depends

If you're a chat addict like me, get a natural keyboard. Gel pads do absolutely nothing. They just feel good.

My back risk fingers are bit out of order, sadly at the age of 18 :(

Yeah, I got the gel pads but I don't think they're working so I may end upr returning them. Should I go ahead and get the wrist splints (I think that's what they're called) and wear it when I'm at home?

sadistikal- Have you seen a doctor yet? Because that doesn't sound too good. :(

Best thing I did was switch my mouse to left-hand use. Once you get used to it, it's amzaing how much faster one is. Using left-hand for Mouse and right-hand for keyboard (arrow keys, up/down, ect.) you are not moving your hands as much. By not using your right-hand for everything, it will take some of the pressure off.

Being doing it for a year and as long as I sit up straight in my chair, have a footrest for my feet, and I do not lean forward -- putting weight on my arms. My keyboard is on a desk, not underneath like some setups.

I sit up straight, put my forearms on my desk, my hands are right at the proper place on the keyboard. I've also been using a trackball and that makes a big difference also.

If I slouch or get lazy in my posture, after a few days my hands have periods of numbess -- which reminds me of my dumbness and to sit up straight again. :D

My mom has this very bad in both of her wrists. It's only getting worse since she stays on the computer all day. :( Her wrists look horrible (swollen)

I also believe I'm developing it too, because my wrists hurt bad after a day of working on the computer. :bawling:

I think I'm starting to develop a mild case of it. Just recently, I have been experiencing its symptoms.

For those of you who have it (or think you have it), have you seen the doctor yet? And if so, what did the doctor say?

i have a natural keyboard
its great
i used to get a lot of pain when i was younger
now that ive been using this keyb with the pad on it - its next to no pain at all

natural keyboard? made out of wood?

lol @ edude...

Originally posted by Kit
For those of you who have it (or think you have it), have you seen the doctor yet? And if so, what did the doctor say?

why? if the doc told to get off the computer for a month, i bet no one here would do it anyways :)

:laugh:

A wooden keebord?? Sorry litle drunk after watchin the Tim saga unfold.

Ever heard of a natural keyboard?

Originally posted by clocker1996
i have a natural keyboard
its great
i used to get a lot of pain when i was younger
now that ive been using this keyb with the pad on it - its next to no pain at all

Ya, i've had mine for 5 years now. Never had a problem with my wrists. :spiny:

natural keyboard? made out of wood? http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/keyboard/nkp_info.asp

Where can I get an Air Keyboard???

Can't seem to find one and I think (when it doesn't hurt ;)) that would be the best. Wouldn't you agree? :D

thinking about getting a natural keyboard but is it hard getting use too?

What's that?

a friend of mine had this and ended up having to have an operation. something to do with fixing the veins in the arms think? :confused:

I've been using a natural keyboard for about five years now (I'm 21 now). I started getting mild CTS when I changed my mouse to a symmetrical one. I think I'm gonna get a larger, more natural mouse.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is, ultimatly, caused by a pressure on or a leassion of the median nerver. This can be caused by many factors, and the treatment will differ accordingly.

In most of the cases, the doctor will ask you to relieve the affected wrist, and it will go away. As our anatomy doctor puts it:

" The doctor will ask the patient to use the left hand instead of the right hand. So that the carpal tunnel syndrom will go away from this hand .. and occur in this hand. " :)

Adjustments in the work environment are important too.

In sever cases, a surgery is done to loosen the flexor retinaculum, to make more space for the median nerver in the carpan tunnel.

If you want more information you can try these resources.

http://members.aol.com/wayneheim/carpal.jpg
http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/10/15/20.html
http://www.mayo.edu/mcj/hand/carpal.html
http://www.drscottfuller.com/carpal-tunnel.html

So should it be something that I need to worry day/night about? To be truthful, I'm not even sure that it's carpal tunnel, but I can't think of anything else.

I dont have carpal tunnel but im starting to get RSI, especially when switching between 2 types of keyboard, Laptop and pc or my ergonomic one and a normal one
Things have gotten a bit better since i left school because the laptop keyboard isnt too bad and the ergonomic one is what relieved the pain. I find typing on normal keyboards very painful.

Not too helpful when im about to start a 4 yr computing degree

I get RSI sometimes. Not so much now I have a laptop keyboard, but before when I had a regular keyboard I used to get it.

I also had a ganglion on my wrist - basically a fluid sac that was a side-effect. The doctor said I could get it sucked out - but he said that if it wasn't painful then not to worry about it.

Anyway, I woke up one morning and the ganglion was gone - it went as quick as it came.

For those rare occasions when my wrist does get sore, I have a support strap which I put on it - it helps quite a bit.

--Shaun

Originally posted by Kit
For those of you who have it (or think you have it), have you seen the doctor yet? And if so, what did the doctor say?

Meh. I saw a doctor about it. He said to stop using the computer.

I did for a bit, used it less. It went away. So whenever the pain comes.. I take it easy now... then the hands recover.

What's RSI?

Originally posted by Kit
What's RSI?

Repetitive Strain Injury

This thread is a relief for me. :) Now I know what that numbness in my right hand is!

I replaced my mouse with a small Wacom Graphire (same size as a mouse pad) and only use the pen instead of the mouse.

No problems since.


http://www.wacom.com/graphire/index.cfm

Originally posted by Kit
For those of you who have it (or think you have it), have you seen the doctor yet? And if so, what did the doctor say?

Oops, I forgot about this thread. :blush: :eek:

Nope... I Haven't seen a doctor and prolly wont for awhile... I already know what they're gonna say. :rolleyes:

My mom went seven years ago (waaaay before we got a computer) and the doc said they needed to operate on both her wrists. But, unfortunately it wasn't covered by my dads insurance plan and we didn't have $3000 for the operations.

I haven't really been using the computer as much lately but the pain/uncomfortable feeling isn't going away/getting better.:(

Originally posted by cyberdao
I replaced my mouse with a small Wacom Graphire (same size as a mouse pad) and only use the pen instead of the mouse. Did that take a bit of time getting used to? I'm not sure how those things work, but in my mind it would seem quite awkward after having used a mouse for so many years.

Originally posted by Synthetic
Did that take a bit of time getting used to? I'm not sure how those things work, but in my mind it would seem quite awkward after having used a mouse for so many years.

Took me 1-2 weeks to get used to it, but now I can work faster than with the mouse, the only problem is switching between typing and the pen.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is not fun. In the mid '80s, I started a bottled water business. At the time I couldn't afford automated capping equipment, so we capped all the bottles by hand. The repetitive tightening of the bottle caps by hand gave me a severe case of CTS.

I've had it on and off since then, but it's been pretty good for the last few years. I never opted for the surgery (I'd heard some horror stories of botched surgeries gone bad). I did take anti-inflammatories for several years. I also went in and got fitted for splints that I would wear when sleeping. It would hurt the most when I would lay down. Could not sleep. I was up 15 - 20 times a night. A real nightmare.

If I were you, I would get it checked out and follow the recommendations of your doctor. CTS can make you really really irritable. When you can't write more than 2 lines on a page because your wrist/hand hurts so much, you turn into a real grouch. I did, anyways.

If your doctor asks you to go in for an EMG, I feel for you. When I had it, it was about 45 minutes of prodding me with small amounts of electric shock to test the nerve response in my arms. It was truly an unpleasant experience.

If your hands/wrists hurt/ache/burn especially when you lay down, if your fingers (paricularly your middle finger, index finger and thumb) feel tingly and overly sensitive to touch, then there's a good chance you've got CTS. Try everything you can to get rid of it on your own. Leave surgery as the last resort. I know 2 people whose hands are all screwed up because of botched surgery.

Good luck.

Vito

A part of me feels that I do not have carpal tunnel, but then again, I don't know what else it could be. For one, my fingers and my hand does not hurt, it's more in my lower arm (sometimes upper arm, wrist, and if my fingers ache, then it only lasts for a few seconds). In fact, it's not really pain that I feel, it's more of an uncomfortable feeling, like you just lifted something heavy and your arm is sore. The thing is I haven't lifted anything heavy in awhile, and I haven't done any weight-lifting or anything. Also, the pain/ache/soreness varies, sometimes I'll be fine for hours and then the ache/pain/soreness starts to creep up.

I am going to go to the doctor this Thurs and I'm just hoping she won't say the things that I think she'll say (ie: Stop playing the violin, and using the computer for awhile) because I know that the chances are very slim that I can actually follow her recommendations. I need to use the computer for homework purposes, and as for the violin, I am heavily involved in my school and a community orchestra. Not only that but I'm planning to try out for an orchestra in Oct. and can't stop practicing until then... This isn't bold well for me huh?

I don't think that what I have is severe enough for me to have to go in for surgery but I don't know....:(

I'm no doctor, but from what you describe, Kit, it does not sound like CTS. When I had it really bad, it crept up my entire arm, but the main area was from my wrist to the ends of my fingers.

Good luck on Thursday with the doc. Let us know what happened...


Vito