Carpel Tunnel syndrome

[Joan-E-D]

Does anyone know if PMR can make you prone to getting carpel tunnel syndrome? I'm reducing from 1.0 mg to .5 mg Pred. after 3 years of PMR and have developed tingling, like pins and needles, in the thumb and first 2 fingers of my right hand. My 2nd finger keeps going numb too. The tingling can go up to my wrist and arm when I've been in bed. I looked up the symptoms and they seemed very like carpel tunnel syndrome. It gets worse when I write or use the computer tracker ball, but its there at some level all the time now. Anyone else with PMR had this problem?

[piglette]

Interestingly enough I had carpal tunnel symptoms just before I was diagnosed with PMR. They were really bad. As soon as I started on pred they went away thank goodness.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Yes, carpal tunnel syndrome can be more common in patients with PMR although there is some dispute. There are several medical articles from the mid to late1990s about it.

The synovium is inflamed in the joints and in the carpal tunnel - and that is what leads to the symptoms.

[Blearyeyed]

Have you had your Vitamin B , folic acid and ferritin levels checked with a blood test since having PMR?

Many people with different types of Chronic Illness that involve the joints and inflammation experience onset of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome , either after or sometimes before diagnosis.

They can be linked for various reasons , including changes in Nutrients like B vitamins , Vit D and Magnesium , they can also be part of the autoimmune or autoinflammatory response.

Or the changes in activity or medications you take can cause changes in the tightness of your tendons and ligaments and muscle and nerve changes in other body parts too , causing things like Carpal Tunnel , Tennis Elbow , Housewife's Knee and Sciatica to raise their heads.

Gentle rotating exercises of the wrist and wiggling of the fingers might help , especially when the tingling is active. Limiting the time you use a keyboard , do things like write and knit and other hand activities , or at least taking little breaks every 15 mins while you do them will reduce the symptoms.

Increasing your B vitamins and minerals and more fluids help from within.

Getting the bloodwork done and having it checked by the GP is definitely your next step.

[Ciar]

I also got carpal tunnel soon after I was diagnosed with PMR. (I have read in several places that it is common in PMR patients) At the same time as carpal tunnel, I also began to have issues in my ankles that my foot doctor thinks might be tarsal tunnel, plus a ganglion cyst in one ankle, causing nerve pain and numbness. All these came on at the same time soon after I got PMR, while I reduced my prednisone too quickly. My rheumatologist at the time was adamant I reduce quickly, from 10 mg to 2 mg in 9 months. Taking more prednisone (5-7 mg) over the past 1.5 years has helped somewhat, but I still have these problems.

[-LJ-]

I had several bouts with swollen hands...was told it was carpal tunnel...went to PT..after 4 sessions, wasn’t helping. What did help from the PT was the cold and warm bath therapy (like in a two sided sink)......always start with cold and end with cold...you can look the therapy up on the Web. I also wore a splint that sometimes helped at night......but was almost in tears some days. It went away after about a month. Then it recurred close to the end of my taper....just out of the blue. Didn’t last long...was gone in about a week. I found on this forum that magnesium might help...I took it from then on, and still take one a day. Haven’t had any problem since I’ve been off prednisone. ( since last October..almost a year). I really think it is a result of the PMR...Good luck. I personally wouldn’t add any meds or therapy.

FYI......

Wrote this a couple of weeks ago to someone else!

[sennetta]

I had a problem with CT Syndrome during my last two (out of four) pregnancies , but I also had it more recently and my osteopath gave me shoulder exercises which got rid of the problem apart from the occasional "attack" in bed when I lie awkwardly. I can get rid of the sensation by doing the shoulder rotating exercise a couple of times while still lying in bed - it works like magic and I go off to sleep again very quickly.

My son,a cellist, on the other hand suffered terribly with it at age 16/17 - he decided to go for surgery and regular physiotherapy and both of those did nothing for him apart from cause him a load of grief. He still has a problem age 20.

[whitefishbay]

This is what I had/thought I had before I found out I had PMR. Also thought I had rotator cuff issue (diagnosed by GP). So maybe it is all part of the fun of the PMR package.

[Joan-E-D]

Thank you everyone for your information and advice. I find writing is as uncomfortable as using my computer, but I'll try to limit using it to 15 mins at a time. I guess I'll have to go to my GP soon. I was hoping it would go away by itself!

[AliDeJ]

Hello Joan e-d,

I have had carpal tunnel release operations on both hands for which I am very grateful. This was 5 years before the onset of PMR and GCA. I had lost sensation in my right hand (first three digits) and it was bad in my left hand too. The agony at night! Like fire running the whole length of my arms! I was sent for a nerve conduction test where they measured, electronically, how much the nerves were blocked and the results were clear: very severe, and moderately severe (R/L hands). It took months for sensation to return after the operations. I had them five weeks apart.

The NHS did not provide hand splints, though they did tell me about them. But when I went to a private clinic for the nerve test (referred as an NHS patient) he gave me some there and then. It was a help with my left hand and lessened the pain and the damage at night because I know I bend my wrists when I sleep. I really recommend them, Cheap on Amazon.

There must be a link between PMR and GCA and C.T. because the Rheumatologist recorded it in my notes on first seeing me, omitting a load of other things.

I think there has been some reticence to perform the op. lately and fear that the syndrome may return. My ops were totally necessary. I would have lost all sensation in the first three fingers of both hands and I have been fine ever since.

I have no idea what caused it, but Vitamin D was low in the past and I was using a computer for longer periods too.

Hope this helps.

[Dream21]

Yes. I am now having numbness in fingertip. Anyone have this?

[lemarie1]

Had carpal tunnel in both hands and operated on about 4 years before PMR onset. Also had all 10 fingers (2 thumbs included) operated on for locking (trigger fingers). The operations were successful except left my hands crooked.....looks like RA fingers. Anyway when I was at 7 mg the hands swell up terribly and wrists started aching again. Now at 3 mg. hands are doing pretty well. Oh who knows all the intricacys?