Carpel Tunnel - Cadillac,MI

i would try a chiropractor before you do surgery. they can do truly amazing things.

I am not sure that the shoulder pain is related. I have had bilateral carpal tunnel surgery 11 years ago and am doing very well. Prior to my surgery, I heard horror stories from family members and others that it left scarring and no relif from pain. My husband, son and myself all had a Dr. Ditmars from Henry Ford Fairlane perform the surgery. He is a plastic surgeon and did a terrific job for all three of us. I had the second hand done while staying awake and it was fine; the other I was out cold for. I also need to have my right shoulder joint replaced. I saw an orthopedist, Dr. Siskosky, at Oakland Orthopedics in Royal Oak. He said I could wait a bit but he would tell me when it would be critically time to replace it. I am so right handed that I have to learn to do my daily personal duties left handed for a while. I am having little luck making my left hand successful with these things. Good Luck.

hi, my cousin is a chiropractor and i thought that he told my grandma who had carpel tunnel to look into having a chiropractor work with her instead of surgery.

what did the mri of your cervical spine and shoulders reveal? Before you have any surgery, you need those mri's done. what pain clinic are you going to, and what does the occupational therapist say?

I have the same. I haven't had the surgery yet though. I'm pretty sure your shoulder pain is related. I have heard from several others with severe carpal tunnel. Once they had the surgery, the elbow and shoulder pain went away. Good luck!

Hi K., Kudos to you for considering a none invasive solution first. Exie gives great advice about the massage therapy. My sister who is a physical therapist connected me with a massage therapist(an important distinction) and she has made a world of difference for me. My neck and shoulder issues manifest differently than yours, and you're right about having a good diagnosis. But a lot can be done thru proper massage. Chiropractics by itself was not effective for me.

Also, has your Dr talked with you about finding complementary ways to reduce the inflammation? I worked with a woman who was getting scheduled for carpal tunnel. We put together a plan to deal with the inflammation and she does not have trouble anymore and did not have the surgery. Even if you elect to have the surgery, getting rid of the inflammation first will help you heal better. May I get you more information?

warmly,
M.
PS I love the Trverse City area...lucky you!

I would definitely see a chiropractor, but be aware that MI only allows chiropractors to adjust the spine (so he/she would not be permitted to adjust your arms - crazy or what!?!). Also - have you submitted this as a Workers comp claim? If you have carpal tunnel caused by repetitive motion then you need to report it to your company and they will cover the costs through their WC insurance - you will also receive some pay for any time off work (not sure of all the WC laws in MI - you would need to look them up and check your companies policy, but you would definitely have some coverage).

My husband is a mechanic and had carpal tunnel in both wrists - had the surgery done a couple of years ago. Recovery is faster than it used to be. He also had shoulder problems and that was eased through physical therapy.

Good luck - it's no fun not being in pain and not being able to sleep at night.

I would get the work done. I had carputnnel in both hads and a my left was worse and actually it helped alot.

As a physical therapist, I would be hesitant to jump into surgery for both carpal tunnels with the symptoms you have described. You may want to have your neck and shoulders checked out especially to rule out possible disk problems in your neck which may be referring pain to the shoulders and can also result in numbness and tingling in the hands. Because of the job you describe you also have a repetitive stress on your neck with the looking down, up, and probably rotating your neck back and forth. A physician that specializes in pain management and rehabilitation could look into all of these issues and try to sort through all of your symptoms. Many times doctors tend to look at you with "blinders on" instead of looking at the "whole picture". I hope this helps and good luck to you!

K.
Have you tried to see a chiropractor? I have my wrists/elbows/and back adjusted frequently and it has gotten rid of my carpal tunel symptoms. I was using hand splints at night to stop my hands from falling asleep at night. I hope this helps. Also from what I have read you may have repeat in all your symptoms even after you have the surgery. Blessing! J.

Hi K.,
As a massage therapist who frequently works with women who are diagnosed with repetitive stress/strain syndromes, I have seen how regular massage therapy with a focus on relieving the pressure both in the carpal tunnel and continuing all the way up the arms and even into the neck, where there is a large bundle of nerves that can cause symptoms in the arms if they are compressed, has helped reduce the symptoms. My clients who combine regular treatments with me and good self-care in between sessions have been able to avoid surgery because we get to the cause of the symptoms and make corrective measures.

I would highly recommend that you find a qualified massage therapist in your area who can help you with a combination of myofascial release, trigger point therapy, and massage while you continue to ponder if surgery is the way you want to go. You may find that the bodywork itself is enough to get some relief and allow your arms, shoulders and neck an opportunity to heal.

I wish you the best in your search for the right solution for you and your family.