Posts
96
Joined
12/8/2017
Location
CA
This year I’ve been really struggling with pain and numbness in my hands both riding and at work, due to carpal tunnel brought on by rheumatoid arthritis. I got a shot of Cortizone in both wrists about three months ago which really helped but over the last month it’s come back pretty strong. I’m going next week for my second shot which will hopefully give me temporary relief. My doctor is recommending that I get the surgery to alleviate the pain. My question is how many of you have got the surgical procedure?Did you bounce back pretty quick and how long did it take you to get back on the bike. Were you happy with the surgery and results afterward? Thanks everybody for your help
I did both under local anesthetic. Very easy, could eat right up until surgery and was let out right after. No issues with either hand, been over 10 years. I couldn't ride 2 laps without having both hands go numb.
https://carpaltunnelexpert.com/
The Shop
It had got to the point my hands would 'go to sleep' within a few hundred metres of riding my bicycle, driving my car, and my motorcycles. It made arm pump, seem a trifle of a problem. Though, it made for some fast DH runs, what with not being able to use the brakes..........
I couldn't sleep from the pain / numbness - now
there's a contradiction of terms / symptoms!
But since the CP surgery, I've had 'trigger finger' really come in with a bang ( Doctor says it's not really related) , with all but 1 finger, the index, on each hand, locking up . It makes Everything difficult. Especially in the Workshop - holding a TIG Torch when doing some very intricate weldments has become damned near impossible, lately.
I'm scheduled for each hands four ratshit digits, to be fixed, in the next few weeks and months. I hope it works , as having hands that don't function well, sucks. Watching the ultra sounds, and seeing the 'bubble', down in your hand, that actually causes the finger locking, is so bloody weird - the problem is nowhere near the finger joint. Bodies are puzzling, at times.
That said I’m following cause my carpal tunnel has come back with a vengeance the last couple months
DMSO is unbelievable for pain relief.
Another thing that seemed to help all pain in my body was quitting coffee.
I was always lead to believe chiros are quacks. I meet mine in an adult class one time. He told me, come see me, if I can't help you in a few sessions, dont come back. I only about go two to four times a year. I just pay cash, $55 a session.
Pit Row
Should have done it sooner. Recovery was easy, was still able to use my hands enough to get by if careful. No more waking up with dead hands and riding without feeling the controls.
What I did won't work for everyone, but I bet it'll help someone other than just me.
I started using a mouse left handed at work, and right handed at home. That helped, but it wasn't enough.
I realized that I usually got CP when my office, and my desk in particular were cold.
I started wearing long sleeves, keeping the wrists/forearms warm. That helped quite a bit.
I paid attention to the angle of my wrists when working on a computer. They should straight. When they're bent, the nerves are going to have more of a tendency to rub. I know this only somewhat applies to motocross.
I then maxed out the mouse sensitivity so I didn't have to move my wrist much to traverse both monitors (I use 3 now).
All of those things helped a lot.
Then I started lifting weights, especially doing wrist curls, and it all went away completely. I believe the increased circulation and full motion are what caused the benefit.
That was almost 30 years ago, and it's been gone ever since.
I know that CP is sometimes caused by a pinched nerve in your neck. If that's the case, chiropractic will help.
Hopefully the MRIs can determine if the problem is in your wrists before having surgery.
If it's caused by a pinched nerve, surgery on your wrists isn't going to help. I've met people who had the surgery, and still had CP.
Whatever the cause, I hope you're able to get it all fixed.
Thanks for this post I will be trying the wrist curls.
Electronic nerve test to confirm it.
Im about 15months out from surgery now, and am 100% and dont even think about it anymore.
Post a reply to: Yet another old guy health question. Carpal tunnel.