Carpal Tunnel Update

[Bcol]

Hi all. Just when must have thought you had got rid of me, I'm back. New house definitely, now, looking and feeling like home and two weeks in the Caribbean well, total bliss. So much so we've booked another three weeks next year.

Anyway, I was rung by the hospital yesterday and I have appointments this Friday and end of April for x-ray guided injections in my wrists. The Trauma/orthopaedic consultant has warned me, and I agree with him, he doesn't think they will do any good as he is fairly sure that the nerve in the Carpal Tunnel is too badlydamaged to save and return to normal. But, hey ho we have to try and you never know miracles occasionally happen. It s a pain in all senses of the word hut it could be worse!! He has also booked me an MRI in the beginning of April, on my head and neck as he is fairly sure I have nerve damage/problems up there which is contributing to a number of things. That'll be fun as it will mean I have problems at the top at the top and bottom of my back.

The good news is that with everything going on my PMR has not yet resurfaced after around eight months of no Pred.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi

Actually I was thinking about you yesterday - there was a comment about CTS..Hope you can get some relief for yours..

Good to hear you had a great time, and PMR is behaving itself…

[Bcol in reply to DorsetLady]

It was that post plus the phone call that galvanised me into action.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Bcol]

😊

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Me too!!!!! Sorry to hear the pessimistic appraisal - lets hope he is wrong! Did he say anything as to whether earlier action would have been preferable/made a difference? Just so we know to tell people to push for action.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

Excellent point…

[Bcol in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, most definitely. He reckons the nerve has been compressed/squashed for so long, likely around five years, and there is so much muscle wastage that it's highly unlikely to return to its normal shape/size. So, yes for others, try to get it sorted sooner rather than later. Interestingly, on chatting with the hospital they told me the consultant was very insistent that I was put on his list and no one else's.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bcol]

That is interesting - wonder why?

[Bcol in reply to PMRpro]

Perhaps I'll find out on Friday!!

[Angelsmummy]

Good luck B,and onwards and upwards eh?LOVED the photo!xx💐😜👍

[kangaroojohn]

Please remind me- is he linking the CTS as part of PMR?

[Bcol in reply to kangaroojohn]

He couldn't definitely link them but it is something that does seem, for many, to go hand in hand, sorry no pun intended, with PMR.

[kangaroojohn]

I started my CTS symptoms at the same time as my (other?) PMR symptoms were ending. The rheumy was clear that there was no connection, but from what I have read here, I disagree

[Bcol in reply to kangaroojohn]

I'm fairly sure it was the same with me, but I couldn't do anything surgery wise because that was right through the pandemic. Upping my Pred, fully agreed/suggested by my doctor, kept it well under control for a couple of years until I got down to 2-3mg and then it resurfaced with a vengeance.

[Jakey67]

interesting. Your post is galvanizing me to do something about mine which has been getting worse. I’m on holiday and it’s driving me nuts! Did a hand brace, exercises, physio or injections help as conservative routes always presented as first options.

[Pixix in reply to Jakey67]

See below…mine is perfectly controlled by wearing a simple hand brace each night!

[Bcol in reply to Jakey67]

Hi, I've used wrist braces for a long time now, both at night and nowadays during the day. But, my CTS has reached the stage where they are not as successful as they were. My thoughts are, as said in the initial post, to get it checked out and get some remedial action, steroid injections in the wrist and/or surgery as soon as you can.