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Here's to Your Health:  Carpal tunnel? Arthritis? Something else?  |
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 1:22:19 PM
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I am having a lot of pain in my left hand - the wrist joint under my thumb, the joints in my thumb and index fingers. its really hurting right now since I took up crocheting but I have noticed the last six months that whenever I make bread (about once a week) the kneading really really bothers this area. At first I thought it was nothing, now I'm thinking it might be something more. I'm 32 years old and in pretty good health otherwise. Any suggestions on whether this would be carpal tunnel, arthritis, or something else? I would appreciate any suggestions of what to do.
Some people have suggested going to the doc for it, but I guess I just wasn't sure what they would do about it.
Thanks, farmgirls!!
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com
www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com |
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Madelena
True Blue Farmgirl
1919 Posts
Mary
Central
TX
USA
1919 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 2:07:01 PM
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You're a little young for wear and tear arthritis, but...pretty much describes the discomfort I feel in my left hand also. Hurts in the big thumb joint where it joins the hand, and the tendon just under it on the wrist. My fingers don't hurt though. {For MY OWN DIAGNOSIS, I am guessing arthritis -- thumb is one of the first joints in the body affected-- and tendonitis in my wrist joint.} Check your computer for medical info sites and compare symptoms. Mom and my best friend had carpel tunnel, and they reported somewhat different symptoms. And of course, ALWAYS CHECK WITH A TRUSTED DOCTOR FOR HIS/HER OPINIONS. IF it is a form of arthritis, doctor will likely say to rest when it flares up. Perhaps try an NSAID if you can take it. I plan to buy one of those elastic gloves for hand workers, and keep on keeping on what I love to do!! Hope your hand gets to feeling better, and that it is just a minor annoyance when it flares up. Keep the faith.
Mary Madelena
FarmGirls Sister 3153 |
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HollyG
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Holly
Hamburg
Arkansas
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 3:01:22 PM
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It could also be carpal tunnel. I began developing this in my late 20s and early 30s due to repeated computer work (I was in data processing for years.) I have had to learn to baby my wrists, as they will cause pain in other places. Recently, I thought I'd torn ligaments and/or tendons in my elbow, only to have it be carpal tunnel. My doctor is a wonderful guy and he recommends delaying surgery until there is no other option. In fact, I don't know a single person who has had it who didn't develop the same problem again. He told me to take advil for pain - if you take 3 at a time, they work as a muscle relaxer. And, as long as you follow the bottle recommendations for daily dosage, you (and your liver) are safe. He also told me to sleep in a brace - you know, the kind that keeps your wrist straight. Mine wasn't severe enough to wear it all the time, but sleeping in it gave my wrists the support and rest they needed to begin the long and slow healing process. I don't think I'll ever be cured, but I've learned how to use my wrists - or rather how to NOT use my wrists to avoid flares. I'm nearly 40 now and it's worked for a while. By the way, rheumatoid arthritis runs in my family and I was checked for that - it was a simple xray of my hands that revealed nothing improper for my age. So, make a quick trip to your doctor to rule out anything serious. I wish you the best of luck! And, you may want to give up crocheting until you do...
HollyG
Farmgirl #2513
www.mydeepwoodslife.com |
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
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HollyG
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Holly
Hamburg
Arkansas
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 6:48:52 PM
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Well, when you hurt bad enough, you'll give up anything. I went off the caffeine/chocolate wagon for over 5 years when I found out they were contributing to my migraines. Now, THAT was hard! I wish you luck...crocheting or not! :)
HollyG
Farmgirl #2513
www.mydeepwoodslife.com |
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 7:21:12 PM
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LOL Holly, I didn't crochet at all today...and that was a big step! Giving up caffeine isn't any fun either...had to do that for a couple years because of my heart. Man, we farmgirls are tough, aren't we? :)
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com
www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com |
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mamafer
Farmgirl at Heart
2 Posts
Jenn
Austin
Texas
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 7:37:24 PM
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Thanks for the tip on wearing braces at night... I have been suffering carpal tunnel for a few years now. I was diagnosed at 35. I have also found that if I don't take it easy on my wrist (especially the crocheting) that the pain will move to my elbow. I didn't know you could actually heal from it, I thought once it started it was there forever. I'll have to do some research. Some days are better than others and I always wear one of those hand/wrist compression gloves when I crochet and sometimes if I need to be on the computer for a while.
Wishing everyone pain free days and much happiness.
Raising 4 barefoot babes on Chicken'Leaf' Farm... Home-Heart-Happiness-Homeschool |
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 7:42:56 PM
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Remembering now that they sell those gloves right next to all the crocheting and knitting stuff at the craft store. The light bulb goes off. Ah! There must be a reason for that.... :)
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com
www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2011 : 07:13:12 AM
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howdy to you farmgirls, i thought i would add a bit to this thread. it seems like forever ago. i had carpal tunnel. it hurt a lot. since i was in the food hospitality business i needed good hands. i ended up going to see a dr. who invented the way surgery is done on carpals. i had waited so long to go in that it had spread to my inner ulnar nerve in my elbow. it felt like i hit my crazy bone all the time. instead of simple carpal surgery i had to have 2 surgeries per arm. first the carpal then the ulnar. it took a year to get the repairs.i had to do both arms. he explained to me that the irritation from repetitive movement causes the damaged to travel up the arm. next would have been shoulder and then neck. i am very pleased with my repairs. i have osteo arthritis also so am glad my tendons etc are good. just my thoughts. i try to stay away from dr.s and surgeries. this had to be done for me to keep working. hope this helps a little. as some have said, there are simple tests to decide if it is carpal.
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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YiberryYadeeKarin
True Blue Farmgirl
343 Posts
Karin
Spokane Valley
WA
USA
343 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2011 : 3:10:48 PM
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I get something that sounds quite similar -- tendonitis. I can't take anti-inflammatories and try really hard to always wear my wrist brace when I sleep. The first time I experienced it I thought I had somehow sprained my right thumb. Another time it was my whole right arm that throbbed. I've had times when I can't sleep because of the pain and it was hard driving my car (manual shift).
Good luck!
Karin |
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HollyG
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Holly
Hamburg
Arkansas
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2011 : 3:14:36 PM
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I didn't mean to mislead about the healing. Once those babies are stretched, they are like elastic...there's no going back. However, anti-inflammatory drugs, braces, and careful usage will lessen the symptoms until they are rarely noticeable. At least that has been my experience. I didn't know it could spread, Sherry, but that is exactly what my elbow felt like...a constantly hurting funny-bone. You and I both know that's not too funny. It affected my grip. I couldn't pick up things one-handed and don't ask my to open anything with a screw on lid. It just wasn't happening. I've learned to modify my activities to accommodate for the weakness of these areas and I'm happy to say life is good. We farm girls are a tough lot!
HollyG
Farmgirl #2513
www.mydeepwoodslife.com |
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2011 : 4:32:44 PM
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I get tendonitis from crochet so I had to quit altogether. I can knit for hours without a problem but holding the tension in my left hand to crochet makes my left hand painful and useless. I too wear wrist braces on my hands at night when I am having a flair up. I didn't find that anti-inflamitories did anything to help. Sometimes just doing dishes in hot water will give me some relief at least for awhile. The main thing is to quit when it starts to twinge. I am a lot more careful now when I work - even weeding can sometimes cause a flair up. I pace myself and quit before it hurts and don't push and push just to get things done. In the end the pain isn't worth the job being finished.
Blessings, Sheri
"Work is Love made visible" -Kahlil Gibran |
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22angel
True Blue Farmgirl
498 Posts
Pam
Manitoba
Canada
498 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2011 : 6:11:40 PM
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I have (had? Is that possible?) tendonitis (specifically supra-spinitus tendonitis) in my shoulders since I'd say about 5 or 6 years ago, could be even longer, and after I went for physio (and quit my job that was causing it) it lessened somewhat. I still don't have 100% movement/mobility in my shoulders, but it's workable. And I found too that it "travelled" - it went to my elbows & my wrists. For my elbows, I found that a magnetic "cuff" worked really good (it's similar to this one: http://www.nikenproducts.com/elastomag_elbow_wrap.html but it's changed a bit from when I had it). For my wrists, I still wear my wrist braces to bed more often than not & that seems to help too. I was also diagnosed with arthritis on my chest bone (I can't remember specifically what it's called, but you know on skinny people, where you can see their bones sticking out below their necks? It's on that join there) with no pain or anything - it's just a bump. Not that I want anymore pain, I have enough. Also for crocheting, my physiotherapist told me to put a pillow in front of me. Now I like the body pillows that go all the way around. Maybe that would be an option for you?
Life isn't about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself.
"When I grow up, I want to be dirt." seen on a box through construction in Wyoming 2010 |
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2011 : 02:26:38 AM
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I hope I don't make things more confusing by offering yet another possibility. I had lots of pain in my thumb into wrist area. At first it was diagnosed as arthritis, then a possible ganglin cyst and finally I found out I need a thumb joint replacement. I thought it was a joke at first, I had never heard of such a thing! I am waiting for the best time of the year for me to have it done - I figure maybe after the first of next year. Since my diagnosis I have heard of so many people who have had their knuckles, etc. replaced. I am kinda amazed this all went on without my ever having heard of it!
Good luck to you . . . a diagnosis from a doctor might help you pinpoint what will help you the most. I sure look forward to doing a lot of things I have had to give up - needlework, opening jars, holding a plate . . .
marianne |
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Here's to Your Health: Carpal tunnel? Arthritis? Something else? |
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Carpal tunnel? Arthritis? Something else?
