Re: Hello old friends

In Reply to: Re: Hello old friends posted by Susie on December 07, 2003 at 18:52:01:

: Hi, Debbie. You know, I've heard people talk about the pain associated with CTS but I've never really noticed much pain. It's just the pins and needles feeling, the "shocks" I get when doing certain things, and the aggravating numbness that I've had to deal with. I guess if I had searing pain like some have alluded to here I'd be opting for surgery, too (maybe). I say maybe because I'm still skeptical about surgery - it scares me to death. I worry about being in that 3% that have bad outcomes.

: Susie

Hi Susie
Life gets pretty boring if you don't take a few risks. I wouldn't call carpal or cubital tunnel syndromes very painful either. I've had worse pain after eating too many brussel sprouts!

Sure it's aggravating. Just the other day I dropped the entire toilet cleaner bottle down the loo, instead of squirting the stuff. I waken up several times a night with dead hands then get up & go to work at 0600, half asleep. The muscles in my hands have wasted away but far worse things have happened in my life!

What is it that scares you about the surgery? It's hardly worth describing as surgery really. A wee cut in your hand & a few stitches. It's no big deal!! You're probably putting yourself more at risk by not having the surgery.

If you've got a tight elastic band around your wrist & it cuts off the blood supply/feeling to your fingers, what do you do about it? You can take painkillers, do exercises, wear splints, rub cream on it, even massage it. It won't get rid of the elastic band. Best idea is to cut the elastic band. In CTS you have a thickened ligament pressing on the median nerve - same thing as the elastic band. Cut it & you get relief. Leave it too long & it's too late, damage is done.

Evelyn