Carpel Tunnel Syndrome & Surgery (please comment & words of incouragement welcome)

[Texas_minor_blues]

Hey guys

I am looking at endoscopic tension release surgery and frankly it is driving me crazy with terror. Have any of you had it? Any insight you can give me here? If you have had it can you tell me how it has affected your playing?

thanks

Arturo

 

[Blues Trucker]

I havnt had it but I went to physical therapy with someone who did. Good luck to you.

 

[Huggy Love]

I had to take a minute to reply to this, so please understand this is just my opinion and you definitely need to make your own decisions concerning your health.

I don't know if you are considering this procedure because it effects your ability to play or that you just have a lot of pain from doing computers too long. I, myself have a bad disk and pinched nerve from decades of computer use, my right index finger has been numb for over 2 years. (I have to use Dragon speech software to do emails or long replies to this forum) I'm on temp disability (workers comp), cannot work in my present career anymore, can't play long sets at night clubs/bars, and am looking at probably going on permanent disability in the end, I was presented with the option of getting a surgery but it was too risky to me cause it's in my neck and if something goes wrong.........it can be very very bad. The 3 main complications could be increased pain/numbness, multiple surgeries, or paralysis, and the complication rate is 10-15%...........I didn't like the odds and just deal with the pain. (Acupuncture helps!!!)

I know in that surgery they cut a tendon to take the pressure off the nerve, we both know that will effect how your hands are gonna work, so do as much research as you can before you go under the knife. The less invasive stuff you have done, the better off you're gonna be in my opinion.

When they presented the option to me I simply said to myself...."Get a surgery to be able to use computers again? (*even though the doctor said that even if I get it done I should get away from typing & computers)...........I said NOPE. Now if it was a case of never being able to play guitar again?...I would have thought long and hard about it and probably gave up the six string, maybe even music altogether. I knew a fabulous guitar player in my part of SF, of all the cats in Northbeach (and this is a musicians haven) he was one of the few that could stretch me, when we jammed together we took over the sessions. We really locked in when we played for some reason. A few years ago he had some kind of wrist & arm problem that ended his playing days, he gracefully moved on and picked up the harmonica as a hobby. It did give me some perspective as to what is important, living life even if you have to make tough decisions.

Again, I don't know if this is so you can play guitar or because of work related issues but I hope it gives you some perspective. Good Luck with this!!!

 

[László]

You probably already saw this informed patient tutorial done by the Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: http://www5.aaos.org/icm/PrintModule.cfm?module=icm002

Risks of irreversible nerve damage appear to be very low, one half of one percent.

And now for the standard prehistoric joke about surgery:

"Doctor, will I be able to play the violin after the operation?"

"Yes, of course."

"Fantastic! I never could before!"

>>cymbal crash<<

Woman in examining room: "Doctor, every time I sneeze I have an orgasm."

"Hmmm...What are you taking for it?" asked the doctor.

"Pepper," she replied.

>>cymbal crash<<

Guy asks his psychotherapist, "Doctor, I suffer from premature ejaculation. Can you help?"

Doctor says, "No, but I can introduce you to a woman with a short attention span."

>>cymbal crash<<

 

[alphasports]

And now for the standard prehistoric joke about surgery:

"Doctor, will I be able to play the violin after the operation?"

"Yes, of course."

"Fantastic! I never could before!"

>>cymbal crash<<

Woman in examining room: "Doctor, every time I sneeze I have an orgasm."

"Hmmm...What are you taking for it?" asked the doctor.

"Pepper," she replied.

>>cymbal crash<<

Guy asks his psychotherapist, "Doctor, I suffer from premature ejaculation. Can you help?"

Doctor says, "No, but I can introduce you to a woman with a short attention span."

>>cymbal crash<<

You got 3 solid snickers out of me there Les

 

[Goldtop]

Arturo,

I have had zero experience with this type of thing so I'm afraid I'm not much help to you. But I will say that I don't think a person can do too much research, get too many 'second' opinions, ask too many questions prior to any type of surgery.

And I would also suggest that you listen to your gut instinct. What's it telling you to do? Respect it, trust it. It just may be a better guide for you than anything or anybody else.

Good Luck to you. Please let us know how it goes.

Goldtop Lloyd

 

[JustRob]

I have had multiple hand surgeries for trigger finger. 2 of them had 100% recovery. 1 that I would rate as 95% recovery. Open Am is very difficult unless I do it without my index finger. Totally worth getting the surgery because I couldn't bend that index finger at all before.

I also have some numbness but wrist braces at night really seem to help with that.

My right middle finger is starting to lock up also and that could use surgery but I'm in no race to get under the knife again either. Plus it's fun to have a legitimate excuse why I'm flipping everyone off. :laugh:

Good luck.

 

[CVS]

Arturo,

As Goldtop suggests - get some more opinions and then trust your own instinct.

In general, I try to avoid surgeries and use therapies whenever possible.

I wish you luck.

Carl

 

[Huggy Love]

I don't think a person can do too much research, get too many 'second' opinions, ask too many questions prior to any type of surgery.

GOLDEN ADVICE!!!!

 

[Drew]

I have always had issues with my hands, because I am at a computer 9 to 10 hours a day. I actually have issues with the other nerve, the ulnar nerve, in my left wrist. I've had permanent swelling for 20 years. I decided against a surgical option in my case. I want to make a couple of points. Once you have the surgery, you can't take it back. While carpal tunnel surgery is very successful in most people, some people do not get relief. You also open yourself up (no pun intended) to complications, infections, a nicked nerve, etc. I think people overlook the obvious first step in the process, which is an occupational therapist. If your carpal tunnel issues are work related, then you can probably get your employer to bring in an OT for an evaluation. In an office environment, most people have incorrect chair posture, which leads to too much pressure of the wrist against the arm of the chair or a bad wrist angle. Also, people just don't know how to rest. They'll work all day and then come home and put their hands/wrists through more stuff. When you count smart phones and tablets, people are using their hands for like 12 hours a day... and that is not normal. For me, surgery of any sort is the absolute last option. A lot of this stuff can be relieved by other measures.

 

[veinbuster]

I prefer to start with non surgical options first. Quite a few years ago I had trouble with my wrists, mostly the right one. I saw several doctors, including a surgeon who only worked on hands. He was incredibly helpful, did lots of tests and in the end said: there was a good chance I'd need surgery at some point, but with the right habits I could probably put it off for 10 years or more. Good posture is essential. People tend to know that their hands should be above their computer keyboard, but it is easy to let them fall to the desktop. You can get gel supports to put in front of the keyboard and mouse pads that have them built in - I don't use them but some people find they help. The same rules for lower arm - wrist - hand alignment apply to other activities - like how you hold your steering wheel, how you rest your hand on your guitar. A big one for me was how I held the bars on my bicycle. Just watch your hand posture for a few days and see if there are things you can train yourself to change.

I also started doing exercises to strengthen the muscles around my wrists and continue to do them even I'm not having problems. I've lost track of how long surgery has been postponed, but it isn't far from 20 years.

 

[alantig]

Mojo sent. I've been fortunate to have needed only one minor surgery since I got my wisdom teeth out, but working with computers all day, a bad case of CTS is one of my fears. I hope all goes well with yours.