Guide to treating thyroid related hand and wris... - Thyroid UK

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Guide to treating thyroid related hand and wrist pain (carpal tunnel syndrome)

Clutter profile image
16 Replies

Painful tingling sensations, numbness or burning in hands, wrists, arms and elbows (carpal tunnel syndrome) can be due to a thyroid imbalance and 28.5% of hypothyroid patients may experience CTS.

The article discusses how to recover from CTS by optimising thyroid levels and B12 levels along with some tips how to look after your hands and wrists.

outsmartdisease.com/thyroid...

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Clutter
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16 Replies
shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Thanks Clutter for this link. It is another symptom that most doctors do not recognise and some people have not had the benefit of maybe increasing their dose slightly.

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply toshaws

Shaws,

I know a couple of people have avoided surgery for CTS by optimising their thyroid levels. Marina Gutner mentioned she needed to supplement B12 too.

Raventhorpe profile image
Raventhorpe in reply toClutter

Hi clutter thanks for info on CTS I found this particularly interesting as suffered symptoms of this when they reduced my meds , once my meds were optimised and i took b12 it has gone completely.

teenarocks profile image
teenarocks

I read the article and clicked on "optimal thyroid treatment" link and was taken to a very long, high-powered advertisement for a program to "cure" hypothyroidism. A little suspect? Tempted to purchase but wonder if it's legit. Have you looked into it?

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply toteenarocks

Teenarocks,

No, I haven't looked at it and wouldn't buy a programme which claims to cure hypothyroidism. As far as I'm concerned hypothyroidism can't be cured it can only be managed with thyroid replacement.

Doubleblank profile image
Doubleblank in reply toteenarocks

Looked liked the big sell, to me, too :(

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toteenarocks

So this is yet another funnel into Tom Brimeyer's big, huge, gigantic sell.

Essjay16 profile image
Essjay16

Thank you Clutter.

This just confirms what happened to me in 2013. I started having a kind of flicking nerve pain in my hand that developed into excruciating nerve pain that made me want to go to sleep and not wake up. I went private and had nerve conductive tests and all were NORMAL. I could barely shower/dress myself. You never knew when the pain would start or when it would stop. I couldn't bear to be in public as it made me break down in agony and didn't know what to do with myself. The doctor gave me AMITRIPTYLINE? for nerve pain and it dulled my brain but things did calm down. Eventually I decided I wanted to stop the pills and having done my own research I self medicated with sublingual B complex +B12 and have taken it ever since. My idea, NOT suggested by the doctor. As I have said before I had 2 basic bloods done for hypothyroid over last 2 years and all normal. Got very fed-up of even more unsolved symptoms and finally got an appointment with a different fantastic doctor 2 days ago. He asked my symptoms and just said sounds like thyroid, I said been tested twice before, all normal. He said "but not for T3". My blood form had 20 ticks on it for testing different things. I have no idea what results will be. He also asked what happened about the nerve pain. I tried to tell him and even though it was in 2013 the tears started coming. He completely understood the affect it had on me still today remembering the pain. I feel he will look after me but still feel so so angry that no one really helped back then and I suffered so badly, as did my family watching me beside myself with pain. There is a lot to be said for researching for yourself and brilliant sites like this. It makes you realise you are not alone or imagining it.

stiltzski profile image
stiltzski

I was diagnosed with CTS way back in 1985, years before my Fibromyalgia diagnosis and much later Dr Skinner's diagnosis of hypothyroidism. I refused an operation at the time and have had only partial movement of the wrist since (my writing hand). I have suspected but never been able to prove the connection but why did none of the GP practices I've been under since '85 put 2 and 2 together??

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply tostiltzski

Stilltzski,

Because the few weeks spent studying the endocrine system simply doesn't equip them to have any in depth knowledge of thyroid disease and symptoms apart from the obvious weight gain, hair loss and cold.

stiltzski profile image
stiltzski in reply toClutter

True. I feel more and more that we should try and take some concrete action to change this lamentable ignorance within general practice (not to mention amongst endos but that might be harder..). But how? I am a writer by profession (not a journalist) but do feel that a flood of articles in the national press might be a possible route. Demos might work too.. !

MrsRaven profile image
MrsRaven in reply tostiltzski

I think we can only try to educate our GPs, as I am doing with mine. The powers that be in the NHS seem perfectly happy with things as they are.

stiltzski profile image
stiltzski in reply toMrsRaven

I'm really glad that you are making progress with your GP. I tried but mine was completely dismissive. I therefore have to get my medication elsewhere.

MrsRaven profile image
MrsRaven in reply tostiltzski

I'm on my 4th lol! But still have to get most of my bloods and my t3 privately. The CCG wont let him prescribe, and though he's interested in listening to what I have to say he admits he knows nothing. Cant even interpret thyroid tests.

Essjay16 profile image
Essjay16 in reply toMrsRaven

That is shocking! I feel for you.

MrsRaven profile image
MrsRaven

I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome years ago when with my old surgery. It was blamed on fibromyalgia.

Since Ive been taking t3 I've had no further problems, though I do suffer periodically with de Quervains teno-synovitis, which the orthopaedic surgeon says is due to osteo arthritis at the base of each thumb.

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