Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 In a message dated 3/25/2004 3:17:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, mike@... writes: First question is have you been clinically tested and diagnosed for carpal tunnel syndrome? Numbness from the shoulder to the hand is not symptomatic of either carpal tunnel or deQuervian's. It is, however, symptomatic of thoracic outlet syndrome. And that leads to the second question - have you been tested for thoracic outlet syndrome? Mike, thanks for your reply. Where do I start? I've been seeing a physiatrist that the Rheumatologist sent me to when he suspected that I have EDS. The physiatrist treats me symptomatically. It seems that each time I go, which is every couple of months, something else is added to the list of ailments. I'm a crafter and have problems with my hands, probably just over use. DeQuervain's Syndrome seemed to be what the problem was a few months back. That has seemed to travel up my arm, which isn't possible. I spend lots of time trying not to notice pain, so when I do have to pay attention to it, I get it all it screwed up...referred pain? I don't know. Reading about TOS it sounds too familiar...my right hand gets much colder than my left one and it burns from my thumb and palm right on up my arm to my elbow. Last night I could feel the numbness all the way up to my shoulder, but maybe I was lying on it wrong, or it dislocated? Things snap crackle and pop a lot. Today it is cold and numb but not totally white like there is no circulation. In January I was rushed to the ER with severe chest pains...sweaty, clammy, jaw and arm hurt...I thought sure I was having a heart attack at 49. After all the heart, lung and gallbladder tests came back just fine, they figured I just had esophageal spasms. After all those tests came back fine, I had my regular appointment with the physiatrist who poked at my chest, which almost made me pass out from the pain...she diagnosed me with costocondrits at that time. No mention of TOS at that time, but nerve entrapment and I guess I related that to carpal tunnel since I was told to wear the braces 24/7. I also have Fibromyalgia, so pain is an ongoing issue. This is just getting old -- one thing after another. After another...ya know what I mean? Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 In a message dated 3/25/2004 3:17:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, mike@... writes: First question is have you been clinically tested and diagnosed for carpal tunnel syndrome? Numbness from the shoulder to the hand is not symptomatic of either carpal tunnel or deQuervian's. It is, however, symptomatic of thoracic outlet syndrome. And that leads to the second question - have you been tested for thoracic outlet syndrome? Mike, thanks for your reply. Where do I start? I've been seeing a physiatrist that the Rheumatologist sent me to when he suspected that I have EDS. The physiatrist treats me symptomatically. It seems that each time I go, which is every couple of months, something else is added to the list of ailments. I'm a crafter and have problems with my hands, probably just over use. DeQuervain's Syndrome seemed to be what the problem was a few months back. That has seemed to travel up my arm, which isn't possible. I spend lots of time trying not to notice pain, so when I do have to pay attention to it, I get it all it screwed up...referred pain? I don't know. Reading about TOS it sounds too familiar...my right hand gets much colder than my left one and it burns from my thumb and palm right on up my arm to my elbow. Last night I could feel the numbness all the way up to my shoulder, but maybe I was lying on it wrong, or it dislocated? Things snap crackle and pop a lot. Today it is cold and numb but not totally white like there is no circulation. In January I was rushed to the ER with severe chest pains...sweaty, clammy, jaw and arm hurt...I thought sure I was having a heart attack at 49. After all the heart, lung and gallbladder tests came back just fine, they figured I just had esophageal spasms. After all those tests came back fine, I had my regular appointment with the physiatrist who poked at my chest, which almost made me pass out from the pain...she diagnosed me with costocondrits at that time. No mention of TOS at that time, but nerve entrapment and I guess I related that to carpal tunnel since I was told to wear the braces 24/7. I also have Fibromyalgia, so pain is an ongoing issue. This is just getting old -- one thing after another. After another...ya know what I mean? Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Last night I woke up with my right arm hurting from my shoulder to my hand. I've been wearing wrist braces for weeks from deQuervian's and carpal tunnel syndromes. Now I have to sleep with my elbows perfectly straight or else my arms go numb. Anything to do for this? ---------------- First question is have you been clinically tested and diagnosed for carpal tunnel syndrome? Numbness from the shoulder to the hand is not symptomatic of either carpal tunnel or deQuervian's. It is, however, symptomatic of thoracic outlet syndrome. And that leads to the second question - have you been tested for thoracic outlet syndrome? Carpal tunnel by definition involves the tunnel formed at the base of the hand by the flexor retinaculum. DeQuervian's is tendinities of the common sheath for the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis muscles that run from the wrist along the back/top of the thumb. Again, neither of these conditions will cause pain or numbness of the arm/shoulder. I guess what I am saying is that the symptoms don't match the supposed conditions. And yes, there are bodywork therapies that are effective for TOS, depending on the cause (there are several different causes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Last night I woke up with my right arm hurting from my shoulder to my hand. I've been wearing wrist braces for weeks from deQuervian's and carpal tunnel syndromes. Now I have to sleep with my elbows perfectly straight or else my arms go numb. Anything to do for this? ---------------- First question is have you been clinically tested and diagnosed for carpal tunnel syndrome? Numbness from the shoulder to the hand is not symptomatic of either carpal tunnel or deQuervian's. It is, however, symptomatic of thoracic outlet syndrome. And that leads to the second question - have you been tested for thoracic outlet syndrome? Carpal tunnel by definition involves the tunnel formed at the base of the hand by the flexor retinaculum. DeQuervian's is tendinities of the common sheath for the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis muscles that run from the wrist along the back/top of the thumb. Again, neither of these conditions will cause pain or numbness of the arm/shoulder. I guess what I am saying is that the symptoms don't match the supposed conditions. And yes, there are bodywork therapies that are effective for TOS, depending on the cause (there are several different causes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 In a message dated 3/25/2004 5:48:43 PM Eastern Standard Time, mike@... writes: So, back to your question. Where do you start? If you are not getting results with what you are doing now, I would suggest you at least get checked for TOS and rib problems. Many thanks Mike! Will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Where do I start? I've been seeing a physiatrist that the Rheumatologist sent me to when he suspected that I have EDS. The physiatrist treats me symptomatically. It seems that each time I go, which is every couple of months, something else is added to the list of ailments. I'm a crafter and have problems with my hands, probably just over use. DeQuervain's Syndrome seemed to be what the problem was a few months back. That has seemed to travel up my arm, which isn't possible. I spend lots of time trying not to notice pain, so when I do have to pay attention to it, I get it all it screwed up...referred pain? I don't know. Reading about TOS it sounds too familiar...my right hand gets much colder than my left one and it burns from my thumb and palm right on up my arm to my elbow. Last night I could feel the numbness all the way up to my shoulder, but maybe I was lying on it wrong, or it dislocated? Things snap crackle and pop a lot. Today it is cold and numb but not totally white like there is no circulation. In January...After all those tests came back fine, I had my regular appointment with the physiatrist who poked at my chest, which almost made me pass out from the pain...she diagnosed me with costocondrits at that time. No mention of TOS at that time, but nerve entrapment and I guess I related that to carpal tunnel since I was told to wear the braces 24/7. I also have Fibromyalgia, so pain is an ongoing issue. --------------- ARRRRRRRGH! Treating symptomatically? That has to rank right near the top of my list of top ten peeves. When it comes to soft tissue issues/problems/pain, and whatever treatment you are using/doing doesn't produce results, you MUST look elsewhere in the body for the cause. I don't care if it is the (very common) misdiagnosis of TOS as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, failure to check pain referral patterns for trigger points, or totally overlooking fascial restrictions, the bulk of conventionally trained doctors and therapists haven't got a bloody clue. I apologize for venting here but I keep seeing this same crap over and over and over. But what REALLY (pardon the expression)pisses me off is that instead of stepping back and trying to identify the CAUSE, they just escalte the treatment for the symptom. They just keep getting more and more invasive and aggressive in their approach. Using misdiagnosed Carpal Tunnel as an example, they start with NSAIDS and ice, go to braces, and ultimately surgery to snip the retinaculum. It flat drives me nuts. I have lost count in the last three years where I have personally seen just this kind of nonsense with people I know or have worked on. I am not saying you do not have or have not had either DeQuivern's or Carpal Tunnel. All I am saying today is that the symptoms you posted this morning do not match either condition. I can also tell you that I have personally had, if not DeQuivern's exactly, something very close to it. And I used a brace to treat it, but it was not a wrist brace. The brace fastened around the wrist but was mainly a sheath for the thumb with a metal splint in it. The symptoms you describe are very suggestive of Thoracic Outlet. The front of the shoulder area is called the Brachial Plexus. There is a whole bundle of nerves, arteries and veins that run through it and down into the arm and hand. If these nerves, arteries and veins get compressed or impinged, you get pain, numbness and loss of sensation down the arm and hand. It can mimic the sensations of carpal tunnel. You can also end up with temperature changes from loss of circulation. Like I posted earlier to somebody else today, there are a number of possible causes for TOS but most of them are very easy to test for. The four main tests can be conducted in less than ten minutes for all four combined. Any recurrance of the costochondritis? Still having problems with that? That is basically an inflammation of the ribs or more specifically of the cartilaginous juncture of the ribs and sternum. Because of the EDS I would at least question or suspect the possibility of subluxed ribs as well or instead. So, back to your question. Where do you start? If you are not getting results with what you are doing now, I would suggest you at least get checked for TOS and rib problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Helen - I'll be your repetative stress injury buddy. I've had a very similar experience to yours. I wrote a nice long reply and then somehow just deleted it. Don't have time to redo it now, however, know that I sympathize and I believe you can do a lot to help get rid of the pain - if not eliminate it at least reduce it considerably. > Help! Anyone else out there having issues with repetitive stress syndrome? > Seems I'm either underusing or overusing muscles, both resulting in PAIN. > Last night I woke up with my right arm hurting from my shoulder to my hand. I've > been wearing wrist braces for weeks from deQuervian's and carpal tunnel > syndromes. Now I have to sleep with my elbows perfectly straight or else my arms > go numb. Anything to do for this? I have duragesic patches but they didn't > touch the pain last night. Will this continue to happen? I work at a > florist...not a good thing for my hands, but will my job make things worse? Help! > Thanks. > Helen > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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