Today's Electrifying Experience

[kenstarr]

Have been having troubles with numbness and tingling in the hands. Went to the orthopedic specialist last week, he sent me over to do some "electrical testing" today. Boy was it electrical! Had sensors attached to my hands and then he used a probe to zap my arm in specific areas to check nerve responsiveness, measure potential damage, and determine whether or not it was in the wrists. He started at about 6 mA and went all the way up to 100 mA! I really didn't care for that feeling, especially the part when he put the needle in my hand and I could feel current to that! Diagnosis: severe carpel tunnel syndrome. Well that sucks, but luckily no permanent damage has been done! Next week it's back to ortho to look at possible surgery, most likely I feel. Guess I'm getting old
-Ken

 

[Zeus-cat]

I had something similar done years ago. The guy stuck a needle in my arm and turned the power up to see what my muscles did. The tests didn't go well since he kept picking up my anxiety on his machine. He kept telling me to relax so he could get good readings. I REALLY wanted to tell him I could relax a lot better if some #$@#$ wasn't sticking a %$%#%^ needle in my arm and turning up the juice!

Good luck on whatever they decide to do.

 

[BABAR]

In medical school during the gynecology lectures they said the one word never to tell a patient is "relax". Patients know that means you are about to do something that is gonna hurt.

glad they caught your carpal tunnel before you got any permanent damage. Hope all goes well with the orthopedic surgeon.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Diagnosis: severe carpel tunnel syndrome. Well that sucks, but luckily no permanent damage has been done! Next week it's back to ortho to look at possible surgery, most likely I feel. Guess I'm getting old
-Ken

I always feel like I come off as a hippie weirdo when I suggest this (especially to anyone not in California!), but I recommend Bikram yoga for joint pain, back pain and things like carpal tunnel syndrome. Bikram has one posture in particular that is supposed to relieve carpal tunnel, and several people I have met have claimed it worked for them. I've never had carpal tunnel syndrome, but I credit Bikram yoga with ending the gout I suffered with for years. Of course gout is completely different from carpal tunnel syndrome, but I think there is something about getting in a hot room and twisting, stretching and compressing your body that is therapeutic for many problems.

If you've never heard of it, Bikram is not the meditative kind of yoga where you sit cross-legged, thinking about butterflies and saying Ommmmmm. It's more of an exercise drill done in a heated room, and it really wrings out every part of you. You're never to old or too sick or too broken to give it a try.

For myself, I'd try almost anything before surgery.

Good luck to you!

 

[kenstarr]

I always feel like I come off as a hippie weirdo when I suggest this (especially to anyone not in California!), but I recommend Bikram yoga for joint pain, back pain and things like carpal tunnel syndrome. Bikram has one posture in particular that is supposed to relieve carpal tunnel, and several people I have met have claimed it worked for them. I've never had carpal tunnel syndrome, but I credit Bikram yoga with ending the gout I suffered with for years. Of course gout is completely different from carpal tunnel syndrome, but I think there is something about getting in a hot room and twisting, stretching and compressing your body that is therapeutic for many problems.

If you've never heard of it, Bikram is not the meditative kind of yoga where you sit cross-legged, thinking about butterflies and saying Ommmmmm. It's more of an exercise drill done in a heated room, and it really wrings out every part of you. You're never to old or too sick or too broken to give it a try.

For myself, I'd try almost anything before surgery.

Good luck to you!

Even though I'm not into stuff like that, I think I will agree with you after some thought. My boss is all about the chiropractic therapy and I've also heard other people having success with acupuncture. My philosophy, if it works, do it!
-Ken

 

[rcktnut]

I've had minor problems with three finger tips that feel like they are half "asleep" all the time for about four years now. Never got any worse, or better. Never bothered me to a point of seeking medical attention. I was a construction laborer for 33 years, did lots of mason tending.

Needless to say I knew a few masons with carpal tunnel problems. Out of three I know that had surgery two had SOME relief, one had gotten worse to the point his mason days were over with, (even with follow up surgery). None were happy with their end results after surgery. Maybe they waited too long I don't know.

If my symtoms were to get worse I would definately try alternative methods to surgery fist. I'll try to find the link to something I remember looking at a couple years ago, national carpal tunnel institution, something like that, that had a DVD you could buy, showing exercises you can do at home. I believe some type of Yoga. Will look for and post the link if it's still around.

Found the link: https://carpaltunnelinstitute.org/ms-surgery/ Don't know if he sells any DVD's you have to get through a 20 min. infomercial before you have a chance to buy it !!!! Check it out, there are other methods also.