Carpal Tunnel

[Craig D Peltier]

Im wondering if what I feel is indeed Carpal Tunnel. I feel it only when Im laying on a weight bench and I put the bar under my palms and go to lift off the bar (only 135lbs) and a sharp pain runs from my pointer finger base down my palm to bottom of thumg.Like knife stabbing me.This doesnt happen all the time but when it does I usually have to stop training on the bench for at leats a month. Its not my wrist that hurts. Im not a musclehead either. Just for keeping in shape.

Thanks

[Robert Goodwin]

Carpal tunnel manifests itself in many ways. I suffered from it for awhile before finding a doctor that specialized in it and getting a better understanding of what was going on. From you explanation it does not sound like CTS, but rather a tendonitis or something. Granted I am not a doctor, so you would want to consult someone who is qualified first. My only suggestion is that you get a number of opinions. CTS can be treated without surgery in most cases. I would steer clear of anyone who wants to schedule surgery without trying any of the numerous non-invasive treatments first. I was put through physical therapy and got on a stretching regimen that over the course of a year or so, gradually got better and then went away. I was paranoid because as a Software Developer, I am at the keyboard all day long. I love what I so and was scared to death of what I was feeling. I am not against surgery, but I would exhaust all options first.

Having said that my gut feeling is that you do not have CTS. Do you wake up in the middle of the night with numb hands? Do you experience tingling n the finger tips?

[Jon Lanier]

Im wondering if what I feel is indeed Carpal Tunnel. I feel it only when Im laying on a weight bench and I put the bar under my palms and go to lift off the bar (only 135lbs) and a sharp pain runs from my pointer finger base down my palm to bottom of thumg.Like knife stabbing me.This doesnt happen all the time but when it does I usually have to stop training on the bench for at leats a month. Its not my wrist that hurts. Im not a musclehead either. Just for keeping in shape.

Thanks

You should get checked out. Middle and index finger numbness or pain could indicate Carpel Tunnel. Pinkie and Ring finger could be Ulna Nerve problems. Only way to tell is to get checked. I've had test (electrodes) a few different times. And have had to have Ulna Nerve Surgery. Nothing you want to guess about, get checked out.

-Jon

[JayStPeter]

Doesn't really sound anything like what I experience, but nerve stuff is hard to figure. Make sure you warm up your wrists before picking up the bar. Stretch 'em and do some pushups. I've had a similar problem in the past that probably wasn't related to my carpal tunnel. I suppose it could've been early CT, but I didn't have any of the symptoms I do now back then. For me it's weakness and numbness with mild pain. But, it can get bad occasionally.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

My hands go to sleep, I get itchy prickly palms and fingers (no it's not from that~!!), Often ( weeks & months at a time) in the middle of the night I am awakened with searing pain in my hands that runs up to my elbows. Nothing will make it go away.

It happens a lot when I'm using an electric hand drill as a sheet rock screw, or other hand intensive things like digging.

When the nerves are inflamed they don't calm down easily it can take months.

The nerves go through the "carpal tunnel" a bony pass-through in the wrist. As one ages everything gets a little swollen (having extra weight on doesn't help I am sure). This makes for a higher incident of the nerves rubbing where they are not supposed to in that little pass through. So once they are swollen and inflamed they rub and rub and that makes 'em more so and it's a vicious cycle.

Once the nerves get inflamed I use the one treatment that seems to offer any relief:

Ibuprofen & Aspirin and cold, lots and lots of cold~!! The cold shrinks the nerves and at the cellular level squeezes the fluids out that caused 'em to swell up and rub. It allows them to stop rubbing on the bones that surround 'em. Over time they calm down and the inflammation goes away.

I fill an extra deep pail(deeper than a Sheetrock compound bucket) with lots of ice and water and immerse my arm in it up past the elbow. I leave it in there way past the point where the fingers stop aching from the cold and simply shut down. Essentially I try to forget my arm is in there and just let it freeze deep inside so the bones themselves become cold. Then I do the other arm. Then I do it all again a few more times. If I need more ice I get it.

Sometimes I have to do this first thing in the morning or my hands will itch and be prickly in a maddening way all damn day. Often I do it at night too.

I have found that ice packs and wraps around the wrist aren't enough to get the cold to penetrate all the way into the bones. Unless I chill the bones for a meaningful period there is no benefit.

It is a pain in the butt~!!

I do this for a few months and the severity goes away and I can sleep at night and go about my business without having all the annoyance and pain.

[Ken Werner]

Generally, CTS gives you numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, middle, and thumb side of ring fingers. Your description sounds more like there is a nerve in your palm which is getting compressed or otherwise irritated. You should see your physician.

My $.02.

[Craig D Peltier]

Wow, some people have it bad, I feel bad for others. Thanks for all the info. Does sound like a nerve after all the info here.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I also made gloves to re distribute the pressure on my hands. It helps prevent the inflammation.

I am sure you can do that for lifting. The soft spot just up from the big muscle at the base of your thumb - - that's the tender spot you want to build the gloves up to get pressure off that area. Use cut up mouse pads or leather.

[David G Baker]

When I was lifting weights I used the canvas wrist straps, they seemed to help.

[Craig D Peltier]

When I was lifting weights I used the canvas wrist straps, they seemed to help.

They do a bit. Thanks

[Jeff Kerr]

Craig,

I have been having trouble for about 3 years. I finally decided to get checked out and sure enough I have Carpal Tunnel.

I went to an orthopaedic surgeon. Once I explained the symptons I was referred to another doc that does the eval test. There is a really long name for this and I don't have a clue. But the test uses some needles like maybe accupuncture type and they are attached to electric leads. The Dr. measures the electricity and reaction time I guess.

Anyway, I can have the surgery if I want. I have opted for sleeping in a wrist brace that holds my wrist in a certain position and relieves the pain very well.

Good luck.

[Fred Voorhees]

As someone else stated, carpal tunnel syndrom takes on numerous forms and no one indicator would point towards cts. However, the reason why I am posting is that I had it in both wrists....one being the worst since I am right handed. I am not shooting down or advocating surgery, but I will say this.... I had the surgery on both hands and I am only sorry that I didn't have it sooner!

I was surprised at how little the surgery actually cost. While in the company of the surgeon who performed the surgery, I asked how much he charged and, while it isn't peanuts, I for some reason expected a lot more. Anyway, for the right hand, the surgery took about 40 minutes. The left hand took only about ten or fifteen minutes. The experience after both surgical procedures was pretty much the same. NO PAIN. The rest of the day after each one, while I was numb in the hand, there really wasn't anything that could be considered pain. I can't state that any more simply. I was astonished! Waking up the next morning after each surgery, no pain. In fact, no pain at any time. I was off for five weeks for the first one and six weeks after the second one. I was fortunate that I had benefits that almost made it as if I hadn't taken off of work. What the difference in weekly monetary supplement was over my weekly paycheck was what I was putting in my gas tank anyhow, so it was a wash.

I would tell anyone that if they were considering surgery, to NOT count it out from the options. You would be surprised at how minor the surgery is and how little it imposes on your life afterward while you recuperate.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Fred, did your surgeon use the scopes and make a tiny incision in the palm? or did he make bigger cut and go in at the wrist?


Did he explain what he as going to do? What'd he say?

[John Hain]

CTS is often a difficult diagnosis. The pain you are feeling..... I feel occasionally when benching. For me, it is not due to carpal tunnel syndrome but due to tendon or ligament pain in my hand. Although I rarely use them, weight lifting gloves do help. Somedays, I just bypass the benching and use a different machine because of the pain. I don't remember having to do that when I was 20!

CTS can have many different presenting symptoms. The great percentage of individuals have numbness and tingling in their thumb, index, and middle finger which is usually worse at night or while driving. If the syndrome progresses, it can cause weakness in the thumb musculature and also cause significant atrophy of the intrinsic thumb muscles.

There are some physical tests that point to the diagnosis, but the gold standard is an EMG/NCV test that neurologists perform. This is the test involving the small electric shocks and very fine needles.

If diagnosed, I agree with the previous posts, try nonsurgical means of therapy first. If they don't help, then one should entertain surgery. Of course, if the CTS is well advanced at the time of diagnosis (significant thumb muscle atrophy), then immediate surgery might be recommended.

Neurosurgeons, some orthopedic surgeons, hand surgeons, and a few general surgeons perform this procedure.

There are a couple methods of performing a carpal tunnel release. Some surgeons use a larger incision at the upper plam and lower wrist. Some use a smaller incision and use a scope. Both methods work fine. Unless you're a hand model or planning on going to the prom, the scar isn't a big deal for most people.

I tend to make the larger incision as it provides very nice exposure to the nerve and tunnel; and I feel very safe doing it this way. Others might feel the same way about the smaller incision. They both work very well when performed correctly.

[Fred Voorhees]

Fred, did your surgeon use the scopes and make a tiny incision in the palm? or did he make bigger cut and go in at the wrist?


Did he explain what he as going to do? What'd he say?

Cliff, no scopes. He went in through an incision at the wrist. Both wrists took about eight stitches to close. Barely noticable at this point. Says that they will fade to almost nothing in time. Not that that matters to me. It was well worth it. Just a month and a half ago, I gave them the real test.....salmon fishing all day long with constant casting and reeling. Pre operations fishing was a real PITA as I had to stop every twenty minutes or so after the initial hour or two. This most recent trip, NADA. Not a problem at all. As far as explaining what he was going to do, well, no, he didn't. But then, really, there isn't much to explain. Your nerves go through what is called the carpal tunnel in the wrist. Inflammation makes the nerves swell and this creates the numbness. Part of the "tunnel" is a tendon that apparently is not needed and this is the part that is severed in the surgery. This relieves the pressure and no more problem.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Part of the "tunnel" is a tendon that apparently is not needed and this is the part that is severed in the surgery. This relieves the pressure and no more problem.

A tendon~!! WOW I was under the impression that they had to grind or cut bone out to make the tunnel larger.

That sounds so much more workable.

That tendon could quite reasonably be part of the reason for all the rubbing if from age or whatever if swells.

What's it connect to ? Did he tell you?

[Fred Voorhees]

A tendon~!! WOW I was under the impression that they had to grind or cut bone out to make the tunnel larger.

That sounds so much more workable.

That tendon could quite reasonably be part of the reason for all the rubbing if from age or whatever if swells.

What's it connect to ? Did he tell you?

Cliff, not sure exactly what the tendon (if that is what it is) does in the wrist, but apparently, not much since I don't notice anything different, except for the lack of numbness. One thing is for sure, it isn't bone in there that needs the attention. I believe the carpal tunnel is made up of three sides of bone and the tendon closes the gap. This is what is severed. I'm telling you, at least for me - it was a very surprisingly minor deal. I had no pain whatsoever after day of the operation. And like I said, the rest of the day of the operation, there was no pain really, just numbness due to the anesthesia. The biggest pain in the butt was figuring out how to "wipe" with your "other" hand. And that can be accomplished also. It is doable.