Losing feeling in hand/carpal tunnel/RSI

[Mushroom]

Spoke to a few people about it but looking for advice from someone whose dealt with it, 2 weeks ago the tip of my small finger on the left hand goes numb, feels as it did when you were a kid and played in the snow, then came back in and the heat hits it and you realize how fucked your hand it, numb/tingly.

Its travelled down the side of my hand to my wrist and now covers two whole fingers, if I went for a walk the condition would improve but now no joy, don't really visualise my GP providing anything more than a long wait followed by a promise of another long wait to some clinic thats 6 months down the road.

Out comes, ways to fix, from those who've been there?

Cheers

[Richy CB1000]

I've had this since aboout 2002. I believe it was mainly down to computer use connected to work but no proof.

I have the left forefinger effected and over time has spread to the left shoulder, obviously this is a bugger on the bike.

See if any of this is ringing any bells? Starts as a kind of nerve tingling, then restricts movement in that joint, then actual stiffness, then eases after mild use stretching/exercising it.

I had been through the "tests" from "grip measurement" right up to ultrasound scanning. Nothing found.

Things that helped after visiting a decent occupational health thereapist that knew what she was doing....

Lose a bit of weight if you're over, less stress yes including fat fingers!

Keep the joint warmer, I wear a thermal undervest especially when it's damp/cold.

If nerve type pain get some anti inflametries from the doc.

Try to get physio through NHS, once you learn what helps, do it every morning helps a lot.

None of the above will remove the issue just ease the symptons to a livable state with no pain, feel for you it's a bugger to get anyone interested but can really drag you down after a while. Best of luck with it!

[robs321]

Go see the doc, It sounds very much like carpal tunnel, mine only affects my little finger and the one next to it. The tests for it are quite painless and if you need surgery it is usually done under a local anaesthetic, and depending on your job youll need about 2 weeks off work. Robs top tip, if your right handed and its the one with the problem, start learning to wipe your arse with your left hand, it takes some time to master that one!
As for waiting times, you should be seen within 17 or 18 weeks. Hospitals like these type of opps as it gets there figures up for the amount of treatments they do. Its all done in day surgery and youll only be in the hossy for a few hours.

[panrider_uk]

If the cause is computer use then switch to using a vertical mouse.

Quite expensive but they do work.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[halucin8]

They gave wrist splits for hands when i was pregnant and suffered this, it helped. Is there any colour change in your fingers ?
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[unitynotsocri...]

suspectfrom your description of it travelling down your arm that you have trapped nerves in upper back/neck called brachial nerves.F the nhs ,if you have the dosh see an osteopath,not a chiropractor.
carpel tunnel syndrome is when the nerve tunnel becomes compressed through the surrounding tissue sweelling,i.e. from too much hand work,drilling,chainsaws,wanking,mouse clicking etc.
with many people carpel tunnel syndrome cause the fingers to curl in .
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nearly a normal tax paying tosser.......with ferrileness suzi100,cg125,cb125scb100n,cb175,cd100,cj250t,kh250,c15,125 bantam,super 6,rickman gs750,xt500,250rs,dt175,lifan125,dolomite1850,metro,Morris220ld,morrisfg,leyland princess,range rover,corsa,vw camper .now struggling with legs. MORE ORDER = MORE CHAOS

[harscot]

Get your self to the doc, could be one of a few things, carpel tunnel, arthritis, raynards, white finger, I get four fingers on each hand going this way, I'm slightly over weight, smoke 40-60 a day, work out doors in all weathers, night shift and day shift rosters, use various vibrating tools most of the time i.e powersaw, drills, jack hammers, do heavy lifting ( work on the Railway ) ride a motorcycle regularly, 57 years young, and have arthritis, but I manage to keep going, painfull as it is sometimes, anti inflammatorys work wonders ( Ibuprofern ), and regular exersise, as well as trying to keep warm, wrist bands, gloves ect, will also help.
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[swampy]

[Pete.]

Very similar symptoms to white finger (now called HAV). Caused by prolonged exposure to vibration, such as using power tools, high-accelleration vibrating equipment (kango etc), or even stuff like riding a motorbike. It's nerve or blood vessel damage.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Clanger]

[unitynotsocri...]

it might be that you experience a old finger but its just a nerve perception.i had this for 18 months due to damaged neck nerves.the 'sensation' would move lowly across to the other fingers,the most noticable single symptom was the nerves running down the arm and it felt like my finger tips had just been hit with a hammer a few seconds ago.
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nearly a normal tax paying tosser.......with ferrileness suzi100,cg125,cb125scb100n,cb175,cd100,cj250t,kh250,c15,125 bantam,super 6,rickman gs750,xt500,250rs,dt175,lifan125,dolomite1850,metro,Morris220ld,morrisfg,leyland princess,range rover,corsa,vw camper .now struggling with legs. MORE ORDER = MORE CHAOS

[kramdra]

I have similar when riding bike, hurts keeping throttle almost shut. Worst is in 40mph dual carrageway bastards reducing it from 70.
Sometimes I have to let go for a few seconds or swap my left hand over.


Im quite sure its from work, labling up 1000's of items every day. one of the resons I quit job.

[Mushroom]

Cheers all. The amusing thing is that I have worked in industry, from 8 hours a day in underground reservoirs on chisel guns to jack hammers day after day, I had no problem. The job that seems to have caused an issue involves monitoring charts at a computer for most of the day

I shall book my self in + start exercising like crazy.

[sickpup]

Strange as it may seem this may simply be pillow problem.
I herniated a disk in my neck years ago and it still causes me problems including numbness in my left arm. I find I have to replace my pillows quite often so they support my both my head and neck. Just got new Slumberland pillows that have cured the problem for the moment.

[Mushroom]

Um, I don't own a bed. I had insomnia for a while and threw it out to save space. The times I would sleep after several days awake I would wake up barely able to move yet sleeping on the floor stopped this from happening, my back became stronger & stronger plus I could sleep less when I did.

When I wake up there is no laying about, your up for the day, the place offers you little comfort . For about two and a half years when I am not at someone's house that is what I have been doing, I will try an inflatable camping mattress to see if that makes a difference.