Day 2
If you are not genetically predisposed to carpal tunnel syndrome then prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome may be the best option out there. I will give you some suggestions, but remember your doctor should help you make the best plan. For those that may be doing repetitive activities – you can do some stretching exercises and take frequent rest breaks. Remember to wear braces to help keep your wrists straight and use proper posture. Ha ha, yes, I suggested to sit up straight. Did you just hear your mother? You can also adapt your workplace conditions with ergonomic chairs, keyboards, and tools. Try wearing fingerless gloves to keep your hands warm and flexible. Take a yoga class! If this doesn’t help your wrist strength then maybe it will help keep you relaxed and stress free. Stretching is a big deal for athletes and it is for us keyboard warriors, too.
Day 3
I’m sharing with you Tina’s post surgery photo of day two and day three, doesn’t this look better? She is able to move her hand around and use her hand to help her do a few activities. I know she is keeping those knitting projects close by and, yes, on day three she did pull out a project and knit for a while. She said that after a few hundred stitches (minutes!) her hand began to hurt so she put down the knitting. I had take her shopping, this was to keep her on her feet and off the knitting needles.
See you tomorrow for my final blog about carpal tunnel syndrome!
Two of my friends have had this done. They are feeling great now! Good luck Tina!
Some of the patients didn’t want any surgery. They want to treat by themselves and have some maintenance. You can check more tips to avoid the CTS http://carpaltunnelhq.com/how-to-prevent-carpal-tunnel-syndrome/
Some patients may not want surgery but it is important to realize that carpal tunnel syndrome is NOT only a repetitive injury, it can be genetic. We would not think twice about having a cleft palate repaired, or a bone break repaired, or a tumor removed. Carpal tunnel is the same way. This problem is that blood can not flow freely to the hands. The pain, loss of feeling or inability to hold/use the hands as expected is reason enough to have the surgery. I find sites like the one referenced to be very odd. They state that CTS can be caused by many different factors, not just repetitive injuries, then they suggest tips on ONLY how to avoid the problem when repetitive injury is the problem. This implies that all carpal tunnel syndrome patients are at fault. I waited two years because the carpal tunnel nerve testing Dr felt that only half of all people improve. That is old data! The pain alone was debilitating. Waiting can make the patient lose their ability to feel anything (even after surgery), have a problem holding a cup or pen, and worst of all the muscle can atrophy. Surgery may not be for everyone but if pain causes interrupted sleep or holding a drinking glass is not possible, get a real surgeon to evaluate the situation. Waiting can be a BIG mistake.