We've all heard the old wives tales about what it meant to have body parts itch - such as itchy ears meant someone was talking about you -somewhere - and having itchy palms meant you're going to receive money in the near future; Unfortunately, itchy palms isn't always a sign of future profits. Although there could be a number of reasons for the annoyance, I (at the time) was not aware that having itchy palms is one of the first signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, CTS. I wanted to believe the growing palm itch was a sign of ever increasing riches.
Then coincidently, I'd receive a check from a friend, work, family, or win a scratch ticket. It wasn't until my hands started tingling, going numb and aching did I realized that my superstitious explanation had been denial of a real problem. Trying not to be a hypochondriac had caused me to ignore what should have been an obvious problem. I worried about having a brain tumor just because I would get a headache after exercising too vigorously, but ignored the unknown cause of itchy palms; real rational right?
Sarcasm aside, about six months after the initial numbness set in and I came to terms with the fact that I wasn't just sleeping on my arm wrong, I went to a neurologist after the recommendation by my doctor. After some tests it was confirmed I had a moderate case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my left hand, and severe in my right hand. If I had come in to check the reason for my numb hands perhaps a bit earlier there would be a possibility of not needing surgery. But my case had been so sudden, only a couple of months since the onset, that it was highly recommended I get surgery very soon. Apparently there have been an increase in the number of younger patients needing Carpal Tunnel Surgery; the hearsay got me thinking perhaps if I hadn't used my hands so much? Everyone blames the use of computers but the truth is there are a number of things that could cause CTS. Computers being one of them, yes, but any minute monotonous movements could be a reason. Like the repetitiveness of knitting and other numerous hobbies. Injuries are a reason. Whatever the reason, there are techniques one can take to lessen the severity of CTS.
For example, I was given a worksheet of a person sitting at a computer with little instructions all over the page, like: sit up straight at a desk, set up your monitor in front of you, use a wrist pad, don't hold your wrists in a certain position, make sure your chair is just so tall, and so on. The computer has received most of the blame for giving people CTS and so teaching proper computer usage seems common sense. But I'd always had my computer set up in the proper way and so other techniques were necessary.
Sleeping with wrist guards is a very effective way to reduce symptoms. Wrist guards can help the nerves in the wrist to relax and heal during the night. This method worked for my left hand but my right hand was so severe - surgery was recommended by quite a few different doctors. It was even stated that usually this severe of CTS is seen more in very elderly people, who would be given a shot to relieve the symptoms, rather than endure the expense, pain and recovery time of surgery. But being so young, if I didn't have surgery to fix the problem, my hand would eventually be rendered useless.
While waiting for the date of surgery the symptoms became unbearable. At times my hand would go numb, or have a painful tingles. Sometimes I would wake up and my arm and elbow would ache like growing pains. Other times my hand felt like it was a balloon about to pop; the best way to describe it would be to recall when checking your blood pressure - like at a pharmacy or with a DR. - remember the arm band and how tight it gets, how it feels as if it could crush your arm? that same crushing feeling would apply to my entire hand. Then I started dropping things. As if my hand just stopped working, the muscles would just give out and there would go a cup followed by a crash. I had to acknowledge that even though maybe my arm could lift something, there was a great possibility that my hand wouldn't be able to hold it. By the time the date of my surgery came up, my fears had been dwarfed by my aggravation of not being capable of all I wanted to be. I was ready.
It wasn't until after the surgery did I realize the difference between the hand that had been fixed and the one that hadn't. There were different aches, feelings, textures and temperatures between what I felt with the two hands. The initial recovery was fairly quick and I was surprised to learn how advanced this surgery had become in recent years. Instead of a large scar over my wrist and down my forearm, I have a tiny scar only an inch long that blends in really well with the wrinkles of my palms.
This isn't a medical article about Carpal Tunnel or any other syndrome, as I am not a medical doctor, and do not recommend taking any of this article as a tool for diagnosis, only a trained professional can diagnose a medical problem. See your doctor if you think you have something wrong, waiting meant the difference for my particular case of Carpal Tunnel, but I'm not telling all you fellow hypochondriacs to seek medical advice because of this article either, that is a personal decision. This article holds the author in no way responsible for any reactions of others as a result.
Then coincidently, I'd receive a check from a friend, work, family, or win a scratch ticket. It wasn't until my hands started tingling, going numb and aching did I realized that my superstitious explanation had been denial of a real problem. Trying not to be a hypochondriac had caused me to ignore what should have been an obvious problem. I worried about having a brain tumor just because I would get a headache after exercising too vigorously, but ignored the unknown cause of itchy palms; real rational right?
Sarcasm aside, about six months after the initial numbness set in and I came to terms with the fact that I wasn't just sleeping on my arm wrong, I went to a neurologist after the recommendation by my doctor. After some tests it was confirmed I had a moderate case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my left hand, and severe in my right hand. If I had come in to check the reason for my numb hands perhaps a bit earlier there would be a possibility of not needing surgery. But my case had been so sudden, only a couple of months since the onset, that it was highly recommended I get surgery very soon. Apparently there have been an increase in the number of younger patients needing Carpal Tunnel Surgery; the hearsay got me thinking perhaps if I hadn't used my hands so much? Everyone blames the use of computers but the truth is there are a number of things that could cause CTS. Computers being one of them, yes, but any minute monotonous movements could be a reason. Like the repetitiveness of knitting and other numerous hobbies. Injuries are a reason. Whatever the reason, there are techniques one can take to lessen the severity of CTS.
For example, I was given a worksheet of a person sitting at a computer with little instructions all over the page, like: sit up straight at a desk, set up your monitor in front of you, use a wrist pad, don't hold your wrists in a certain position, make sure your chair is just so tall, and so on. The computer has received most of the blame for giving people CTS and so teaching proper computer usage seems common sense. But I'd always had my computer set up in the proper way and so other techniques were necessary.
Sleeping with wrist guards is a very effective way to reduce symptoms. Wrist guards can help the nerves in the wrist to relax and heal during the night. This method worked for my left hand but my right hand was so severe - surgery was recommended by quite a few different doctors. It was even stated that usually this severe of CTS is seen more in very elderly people, who would be given a shot to relieve the symptoms, rather than endure the expense, pain and recovery time of surgery. But being so young, if I didn't have surgery to fix the problem, my hand would eventually be rendered useless.
While waiting for the date of surgery the symptoms became unbearable. At times my hand would go numb, or have a painful tingles. Sometimes I would wake up and my arm and elbow would ache like growing pains. Other times my hand felt like it was a balloon about to pop; the best way to describe it would be to recall when checking your blood pressure - like at a pharmacy or with a DR. - remember the arm band and how tight it gets, how it feels as if it could crush your arm? that same crushing feeling would apply to my entire hand. Then I started dropping things. As if my hand just stopped working, the muscles would just give out and there would go a cup followed by a crash. I had to acknowledge that even though maybe my arm could lift something, there was a great possibility that my hand wouldn't be able to hold it. By the time the date of my surgery came up, my fears had been dwarfed by my aggravation of not being capable of all I wanted to be. I was ready.
It wasn't until after the surgery did I realize the difference between the hand that had been fixed and the one that hadn't. There were different aches, feelings, textures and temperatures between what I felt with the two hands. The initial recovery was fairly quick and I was surprised to learn how advanced this surgery had become in recent years. Instead of a large scar over my wrist and down my forearm, I have a tiny scar only an inch long that blends in really well with the wrinkles of my palms.
This isn't a medical article about Carpal Tunnel or any other syndrome, as I am not a medical doctor, and do not recommend taking any of this article as a tool for diagnosis, only a trained professional can diagnose a medical problem. See your doctor if you think you have something wrong, waiting meant the difference for my particular case of Carpal Tunnel, but I'm not telling all you fellow hypochondriacs to seek medical advice because of this article either, that is a personal decision. This article holds the author in no way responsible for any reactions of others as a result.
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