Carpel Tunnel and RA | Arthritis Information

If you don't have any, maybe buy some (I got mine at a local drug store) They may help.

Good luck!

Kelly

Dotti - I too have carpel tunnel, caused by the inflammation of my disease, not repetitious patterns like using a keyboard :) I refused the surgery as this was pre-diagnosis, used cock-up wrist splints a couple of nights and it went away. This was four years ago. About six months ago it came back with a vengenance and nothing is working. I am going numb from the elbow down both hands, sometimes only one finger. Then three nights not a problem. Next night its back. And only at night, never during the day.

I read somewhere this is sign of RA - getting up in the middle of the night and shaking your arms and hands to get feeling back in them. I guess they forgot to teach that part in magic school.

I too have had carpal tunnel surgery on both wrist and cubital tunnel surgeries on both elbows.

sorry and hope they can get you some relief soon!
According to some past research I have done, arthritis of the wrist, particularly from rheumatoid arthritis, is a common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially for those of us who experience swelling of the wrist joint itself and/or of the tendons which run through the carpal tunnel.

When the symptoms are rampant, splinting and other palliative treatments help such as applications of heat or cold. Like justsaynoemore my symptoms are more pronounced at night.

Con brio, Happ

Well, Dottie. I don't have carpel tunnel. My sister did though when she was pregnant and I know from her experience that it can be very very painful. Have no info to add, just wanted to reply so you know you're being heard. Wish I had something better to offer. Sorry.I am bothered by carpal tunnel and also ulnar tunnel (same thing as carpal, but it affects the outer half of the ring finger and the pinkie). I sleep with wrist splints on. It greatly reduces the pain I have all day long. I also use splints at work if my wrists are raising hell when I'm typing a whole lot. I keep a set there as well, so that I don't have to worry about carrying them back and forth. A good set will cost you between and . They are sold individually, and you have to pay close attention to the packaging to make sure you get the right size and orientation. Most packages also allow you to open them up in the store and try them on - I highly recommend you do that. Walgreens usually has a good selection, though their prices are a bit on the high side. See if you have a medical supply store near you. They probably have a large selection as well as employees who actually understand what they're selling. Hi Dotti,

I have also had the same problem as you. My wrist was so inflamed that I couldn't move it at all and I had to get a cortisone injection into my wrist. Since then it has gotten a lot better. I do type at my work and have to make sure I take breaks to rest my wrist. I had to go to Physical Therapy which has also helped me a lot. I also wear the splints mostly at night which helps with the stiffness and pain in the mornings. I do the hot/cold contrast baths which gives a little relief. I also the Therma Care hot wraps that stay warm for 8 hours, you can wrap it around your wrists even at work and its very soothing!! Well those are some of my tips :)

Keep thinking positive

I have had carpal tunnel and ulnar problems. Wrist splints help a lot and also taking vitamin B6 is helpful. I had surgery on one wrist which worked. The downside is that it can return later in life and then most doctors will say surgery will not help a second time. This happened to my mother and she endured a lot of pain before it calmed down. Interestingly, both problems have gone almost comepletely away since I started treatment for RA - so I wonder if I just needed to get the inflammation under control, rather than surgery.

Laker