Has anyone had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

[womma]

My right hand and wrist has been hurting since DD was small and I put it down to tendonitis from picking her up.

I went to see an osteopath recently who said he thinks it may be CTS, and that I have some muscle wastage in my thumb...my hand feels a bit numb and tingly.

Has anyone had CTS and how did you treat it?

It is very common in new mums. De Quervain's tenosynovitis, (spelling?) I think - otherwise known as 'washerwoman's hand' apparently. I had it. The Dr gave me a steroid injection and it went within a couple of days, never to return.

Really? Wow, thanks. I mentioned it to my GP at the 8 week check and she said it was something very long and bizarrely named, so it must be what you said! I'll go back and see her about it.

Apparently - my friend also had it but her GP wouldn't refer her for the steriod inj, and she spent ages doing physio and wearing a wrist support that didn't work.

I was advised to try a wrist support and aspirin (not b/feeding) and when it didn't improve (about 3-4 weeks later) I got referred for the injection.

That was five years ago and no probs since - I had got to the point where I couldn't pick a cup up properly as that thumb movement (sort of drawing it into the palm of your hand) was too painful.

My DH recently had an operation for CTS. Quick op and recovery.

I had it but it's gone away now. Got diagnosed with underactive thyroid and that was the cause of it. Disappeared when I started the thyroid medication.

Well, that is encouraging. Thank you for this, I need to get myself of to the GP.

It does depend on how bad it as to what treatment they offer you. I still have it after getting whilst pg with DD, she's 15mths now and I have still got it. It was at its worst just after I had her, to the point it felt sometimes in the middle of the night like i'd drop her cause my hands wouldn't work properly.

Now though its very mild so haven't taken up any treatment. I do notice it getting worse if I have been working on the PC for long hours.

I have spoken to a couple of people in RL who had it. One had the injection and it worked for her, although she did say the after effects were a really bad attack and then it went never to return. The second and thir had the op. One of them had suffered for years and hadn't really known what it was. It had given her some serious nerve damage as it had gone on for about 15years untreated. eg she found it difficult to tell temp in the worst hand. Both said the op was well worth having.

I know mine isn't bad enough for that imo as yet. But you should defo go to the docs. good luck.