Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Does anyone here have CTS? If so, can you tell me about any symptoms you've had, how you knew you had it, when to see a doctor, treatment, etc...

I don't know if I have it for sure. I mean, i've read basic stuff about it and how most people notice a tingling pain at night and such. Anyway, I have experienced a dull ache in my wrist before but last night it was the absolute worst. It hurt all throughout the night and I tried massaging it to try to help it...but no such luck. It felt numb, tingly, dull, and painful. I mean maybe because I usually put my arm under my pillow and put alot of weight on it? Maybe thats the problem? Because later in the day it didn't bug me that much. I mean I still felt little aches later in the day but it wasn't as painful as last night. But i'm also a paranoid person so maybe in my mind i'm making this out to be something much more? Bah I don't know.

Can anyone tell me if this is something I should be worried about? I don't want to tell my mom to take me to a doctor when there is nothing wrong. But I also want to catch it early if this is something serious.

Thanks for any help.

I think that you may be to young for CTS.  You may have pinched a nerve in your neck.  Tell your mom.  Sometimes just talking about something helps the pain.  It seems strange, but it works.

I have CTS.  I'm not sure how long I actually had it before I realized it.  My arms always went to sleep at night and would tingle but I assumed it was the way I had laid on them while I was sleeping.  What finally triggered me going to a doctor was while I was cleaning house one day and pulling the trigger on a bottle of febreeze my arm and hand went completely numb, very suddenly, and then my finger drawed up tight against my hand.  Scared me pretty bad because I had no clue what was happening to me.  Doctors said it was CTS and gave me a brace.  I wore it for about a week and all my symptoms cleared up.  I keep the brace and wear it when I have trouble and need it. 

i don't have it, but my dad and both his brothers have had the surgery. 

what do you do for a living?  it's a pretty specific syndrom: both my uncles were (before they retired) engineers, who spent a lot of time using keyboards; my dad was a land surveyor, and his CTS was from a combination of keyboard work and other, more physical stuff like chainsawing. 

my dad's symptoms were mostly numbness and tingling, but also some lack of function in the fingers and hands.  his surgery (both wrists at once) were very successful, and his recovery was fast.

Well i'm 17, so I don't do anything other than spend alot of time on the computer and keyboard. Also, last night I didn't sleep on my hand or arm at all and it didn't give me any trouble like it had the night before.

Do you think if I get tingly again I should see a doc? Or am I too young for CTS?

i had CTS.  my wrist never hurt - my hand did, my shoulder did... but never the wrist.  that numbness definitely indicates a problem.  Go see a doctor, the nerve damage can be permanant, and you don't want it to get any worse.

I got it at 15 and had the surgery at 16. I was a very young case. I played waterpolo, was taking typing, was in band (okay...don't laugh that hard), and I know sign language. So... I had multiple causes. I never got the surgery on my right hand, but will need to eventually. The pain I feel is mostly in my hand, but also in my wrist. The thumb, index finger and middle finger go numb and once in a while the other two fingers do also, but that is due to ganglion cysts (which are big bubbles of fluid under my skin on my wrists). Doctors were amazed with how young I was when I got it, so chances are you don't have it. But your hands aren't worth the risk so I would see a doctor asap! Good luck, let me know how it goes.

actually, repetitive actions related to computer use are a very common source of CTS! it happened to me a couple of years ago, when i was absolutely addicted to Bubble Trouble, that silly but entrancing comp game. no, you're not too young!

I was diagnosed with CTS when I was 16... and it still is annoying me today (and probably will forever)!  I was on drill team where we did lots of repition spinning flags, rifles, an sabres, so that is how my doctor believes it happened to me.  Just go see your doctor and they will tell you.  I have CTS in both wrists and tendonitis in my right... just take care of your wrists and hopefully you won't have it!

I will tell you, random numbness of the hand/wrist/lower arm are all parts of it and I get it at the most inconvenient times really.  :)  But, it's not that bad.  There are these awesome little wrist casts things you get to wear to bed!  They are pretty sweet ;) 

Good luck!

I was diagnosed with bilateral CTS in 2000, and had surgery on both hands in November/December 2000.  

If you aren't using a soft gel wrist wrest for your mouse, get one!

If you aren't using a wrist wrest for your keyboard, get one!

Take breaks from using the keyboard/mouse at least every 20-30 minutes.

You can Google some great tips on how to prevent (or minimize) CTS .... and see your doctor.

=^..^= MOLLY

(Hope you feel better!)

My doctor suggested that I probably had some.  I was having problems with the occasional tingling and lack of sensation at the tips of my fingers and also my wrists would be sore.

I realized that I was sleeping curled up on my side with both hands tucked under my chin at night (over a 90 degree angle).  I forced myself to stop that which helped significantly and wore wrist braces for a couple of weeks to keep myself from doing dumb things like twisting my wrists.  Now I have no problems.

Hello, I don't have CTS, but in my line of work, It's very likely that I will develop it. I'm only 18 but I am a nail technician. I use a hand file and I notice my right wrist and entire arm are very sore after a set of nails. I also am an the computer alot.

Does anyone know of any excersizes or supplement that can help reduce the risks of getting CTS?

I developed CTS during my pregnancy with my son. I had preeclampsia and my entire body was severly swollen, which apparently is what caused it. After I had my son it went away for the most part until recently. I'm not sure whats causing it to come back, but it deffinitly has. My arms fall asleep at night and it wakes me up with intense pain. My hand and fingers go to sleep while on the computer, pushing my son in his stroller, pushing a shopping cart, and anything else like that. I haven't gone back to the DR for it, although I may soon. Until then I bought some wrist braces and they're made a trememdous difference. I bought mine from Target and they're made for CTS and for women. I'm sure any type would work though. I wear mine to bed most nights and just keep it around for when its hurting during the day.