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Topic: Carpal Tunnel |
Patrick Huey
From:
Nacogdoches, Texas, USA
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Posted 24 Dec 2018 2:19 pm |
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I have worsening carpal tunnel in both hands and will be looking into surgery soon and was curious how many other players have had this and had the corrective surgery and how were the results?
_________________
Pre RP Mullen D10 8/7, Zum 3/4, Carter S-10 3/4, previous Cougar SD-10 3/4 & GFI S-10 3/4, Fender Steel King, 2 Peavey Session 500's, Peavey Nashville 400, Boss DD-3, Profex-II, Hilton Digital Sustain, '88 Les Paul Custom,Epiphone MBIBG J-45, Fender Strat & Tele's, Takamine acoustics, Marshall amps, Boss effects, Ibanez Tube Screamer, and it all started with an old cranky worn out Kay acoustic you could slide a Mack truck between the strings and fretboard on!! |
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Tony Dingus
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 24 Dec 2018 9:16 pm
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I had surgery on my right hand 15-20 years ago. Sorry I don't remember the year. I had my surgery before it got real bad which is the best thing to do. I was playing in 2 days only because I had a cast. Don't put it off get it done as soon as you can. I had a small incision on my wrist. I hope everything turns out good for you.
Tony |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 Dec 2018 1:28 am
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| I had my right hand done on the 13th. I can't tell you much yet because I'm still healing. But, Tony is right, don't put it off. Mine was so bad that they don't have a lot of hoe for me getting much back in my right hand - maybe more in my left, which I'm having done in a week or so. At least, it won't progress - I was starting to have a very hard time with my hands at work. |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 25 Dec 2018 12:38 pm
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Before we go any farther...........
Are you sure that it's carpal tunnel?
I only ask because I'm pretty sure that I have not only a mild case of carpal tunnel in my right hand, but also ulnar nerve/cubital tunnel as well.
The ulnar nerve is your "funny bone". It's a nerve in your elbow that basically affects the pinky/ring and partially the middle finger. The carpal tunnel/cubital nerve is the thumb/first and middle finger.
I have been to physical therapy and acupuncture. I have also tried a few supplements. It's better, but still not 100%. It doesn't stop me from playing or doing anything else.
Also, how old are you?
Not that it matters, but I'm 61.
Last edited by ajm on 26 Dec 2018 10:04 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 Dec 2018 3:19 pm
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| What supplements AJM? I'm willing to try anything. |
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Terry Winter
From:
Saskatchewan, Canada
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Posted 25 Dec 2018 3:32 pm
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| Patrick, Had my both wrists done some years ago....do not put this off. I am completely cured and was told the longer you put it off there could me nerve damage and it wont't be as effective. |
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J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 25 Dec 2018 4:00 pm
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Do not postpone surgery. The longer you wait the more damage the pressure on the nerve does. I had no luck with supplement's or braces. I had had for years and then it stared waking me up in the middle of the night with severe pain in my wrist. I had already lost feeling in my hands, and the Doctor told me that this surgery will stop the pain in the middle of the night witch it did but said you will be lucky to have 50% of the feeling in your hands again. Which is what I have. My hands just have numbness & nervy feeling which is hard for me to explain. It is perhaps like a diabetic has when they have neuropathy in their feet I have been told. I can still play some of course but cannot feel the bar or picks very well at all. But I have fun just yanking strings and making some noise. Do not play out anymore so it does not matter. J.R. Rose
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NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 25 Dec 2018 5:12 pm
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As a physician, I’ll confirm what’s already been said.
The point of early (rather than late) surgery is to prevent irreparable median nerve damage. The median nerve controls finger flexion of your thumb, index and middle fingers which is essential for steel playing.
The surgery nowadays, is minor. In most cases it’s done with an endoscope to simplify the procedure, and hasten recovery. If your Docs are telling you it’s time for surgery, heed their advice. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 25 Dec 2018 6:40 pm
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| ajm wrote: |
Before we go any farther...........
Are you sure that it's carpal tunnel?
I only ask because I'm pretty sure that I have not only a mild case of carpal tunnel in my right hand, but also ulnar nerve/cubital tunnel as well.
The ulnar nerve is your "funny bone". It's a never in your elbow that basically affects the pinky/ring and partially the middle finger. The carpal tunnel/cubital nerve is the thumb/first and middle finger.
I have been to physical therapy and acupuncture. I have also tried a few supplements. It's better, but still not 100%. It doesn't stop me from playing or doing anything else.
Also, how old are you?
Not that it matters, but I'm 61. |
I had both carpal tunnel and cubical tunnel surgery, along with a partial tendon reattachment on my right arm. The cubical tunnel (funny bone nerve - ulnar nerve) surgery involves moving the ulnar nerve from the elbow to the inside of the elbow, sometimes cutting into muscle and placing the nerve inside the muscle as they did to me. All 3 surgeries were done at the same time and took about 4 months to get to where I could play competently again.
In a few weeks, I will find out if I need surgeries on my right arm again. I have been pretty much required to end my playing career because of the pain and lack of control of my right hand. This will involve both carpal tunnel release (again) and radial tunnel surgery.
Not everyone comes back from these surgeries the same as others. Some come out worse, but most better. There's no way for anyone here to tell you what to expect. It's a gamble, no matter what others say.
I'm glad I went through my surgeries and welcome more surgeries if it will help with this freakin' pain and lack of control.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 25 Dec 2018 7:03 pm
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I had a consult with my hand surgeon concerning the operation after being diagnosed. He gave me a link to WebMD.com and suggested I read the information and success rate there concerning CT surgery.
I think this is it if you care to read it: clickhere
I still have not made up my mind about it. |
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Bobby Nelson
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2018 2:40 am
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Jerry Overstreet said:
[/quote]I still have not made up my mind about it.[quote]
One thing I can tell you with surety: If you have problems with it now, it's not going get better - it will continue to get worse as time goes on. |
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Mark Dershaw
From:
Arizona and Ohio
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Posted 26 Dec 2018 7:44 am
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| I am perhaps one of those who waited a bit too long. I was able to play a month or so after the surgery, BUT I can tell you it took a full year for all the pain to go away and after 2 years I still have a tiny bit of stiffness especially in my thumb. I know others who were like new soon after the surgery so I can only surmise that I should have done it sooner. Don't wait!!! |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2018 8:04 am
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Me too say do! I also have nerve problems from my neck discs, thoracic outlet, a few trigger fingerssciaitica... my wiring is blowing out. I manage, but ->->
Do EVERYTHING you can as soon as it pops up, because you don't want to be that 75-year-old guy who's got like EIGHT things wrong and they CAN'T fix one til after a different thing(s) are done and on and on. Your body objects to being sliced upon and starts beaming out 'inflammation orders' and too many things intertwined at once, you'll puff up like a blowfish. And there are a lot of 'care and feeding' stuff to do, yes we should have been doing them twenty years ago, urp.
Most of it is not at the steel. Warming your hands and forearms helps, some people soak them in hot water, gloves and a flannel shirt work for me. Warm up for your playing too, stretches, massage them little goobers on the BACK of your hands and wrists.
Unfortunately, this inflammation ofter kicks up after major surgery, heart valve, hip-replacement kinda of stuff, and it will be with you forever... some people swear by a low-carb diet SPECIFICALLY anti inflamation, if you ARE toting 250 lbs. around - dump it. All the nonsense you heard in your invincible 20's comes creeping in for real in your 50's. |
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J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2018 5:57 pm
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Tony Glassman above told it like it is. Don't Wait. Do it now. J.R.
_________________
NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
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Shorty Smith
From:
Columbus, Georgia, USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2018 6:05 pm
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| I had my right hand done 10 years ago, no trouble since, get it done, you wont regret, Shorty |
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Dennis Lee
From:
Forest Grove, Oregon, USA
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Posted 27 Dec 2018 9:07 am Carpal Tunnel
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I'm currently doing PT for this condition as we speak. So far so good. There is no nerve damage as of yet, so hopefully I was early in my intervention.
If this proves not to remedy the situation, I will visit my friend Dr. Tony for said surgery!
You rule, Tony! |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 27 Dec 2018 9:33 am
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Ah, what’s Glassman know!?!?!?
(Quite a lot, actually. Especially about stuff exactly like this. But don’t tell him I said anything nice.) |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 27 Dec 2018 9:43 am
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| Ken Pippus wrote: |
| Ah, what’s Glassman know? |
Not much, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night. |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 27 Dec 2018 9:57 am
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| Ken Pippus wrote: |
| Ah, what’s Glassman know? |
Not much, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night. |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 27 Dec 2018 1:52 pm
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| Twice, apparently. |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 30 Dec 2018 8:46 am
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| The 2nd night was free once I told hotel management that I was a steel guitar player. |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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Posted 31 Dec 2018 10:33 am
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I had cubital tunnel release surgery on my right elbow back in '92 and it did nothing to help the problem. My surgeon didn't believe in moving the ulnar nerve to the top of the arm (aka ulnar nerve transposition) so didn't want to go there. This was just fine with me as Keith Emerson, keyboardist of Emerson Lake & Palmer recently had the nerve transposition surgery and it didn't work out well for him. I still remember what my surgeon told me:
"I'm not a religious man but I believe God put that ulnar nerve under your arm for a reason and I'm not going to move it" 
Anyway, what did work was I began seeing a D.O. (aka Osteopath) and he began doing what he called nerve release manipulation and cleared up my ulnar neuropathy without further surgery in 2 weeks. Before I ever let a surgeon near my hands/wrists/elbows again I'd try a DO or physical therapist that specializes in hand/arm related injuries first. Arm surgery has it's place, but it shouldn't be the first choice.
_________________
Hear my latest album, "Celestial" featuring a combination of Mullen SD12 and Synthesizers:
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 31 Dec 2018 10:37 am
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| There's a hell of a lot of difference between an ulnar nerve transposition and a carpal tunnel release. |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 31 Dec 2018 2:56 pm
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| Dennis Montgomery wrote: |
| Ken Pippus wrote: |
| There's a hell of a lot of difference between an ulnar nerve transposition and a carpal tunnel release. |
And there's a hell of a lot of difference between an ulnar nerve transposition and a cubital tunnel release. What's your point? |
First off the procedures involve 2 totally different nerves. Secondly carpal tunnel releases are, as a rule, much easier and generally more successful than Ulnar nerve transpositions |
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