For those of you who have had either of these problems....just wondering if there is always pain involved.
I've had numbness and tingling in my hand for almost 2 months non stop...just won't go away. BUT...I have no pain with this. From what I've read, most ppl with carpal tunnel problems have pain. Not sure with the neuropathy though.
I saw my doctor last week...was supposed to have a cortisone shot if wearing the wrist splints didn't help with the numbness (it didn't help) but when the doctor asked if I had any pain and I said no (also..no swelling), he said then I didn't need the cortisone shot. Mentioned that it's possibly neuropathy.
I will be havinbg an emg in 5 weeks, so I'll know more after that. Just was curious with anyone else who has experienced this.
I'm very curious about this issue as well. As you might have read here, My doctor took me off Humira for simular reasons. I wish I could say all my problems have stopped; but they haven't.
Yesterday I was having a time with numbness in my finger tips. From the middle knuckle to the nails; and that area as well as the palm side of my hand (Both) were BRIGHT red!
I do have swelling when I first get up along with a lot of pain at night and frist thing in the morning. Besides that, not that much.
When you say numbness can you not feel anything at all? What I feel is more of a tingling, numb type feeling but I can feel myself touch them so I don't think I can say numb.
CTS is very painful. I had this discussion with some friends at 4ratalk yesterday.
Pretty much the way you described it Lovie. I can feel...just feels weird with the numbness and tingly feeling.
Now since this has happened, I can't grip things very well...and my hand has become weak. I've gone out to buy plastic cups since the glass seems too heavy for me.
Is it just in your hands?
I've had some in my feet; and some problems with my legs and arms as well. In my legs it feels almost like it feels when you get cold chills....but I'm not cold and it will be isolated to one particular area.
So you've got a neruo appointment but you haven't been yet? Or have you been and now your just waiting on the the test?
What meds are you on? I know MTX, but is that it?
I've had the numbness/tingly feeling in both hands and both feet. But that went away...hasn't come back except for my left had now has been constant.
No...I haven't been yet. I've only been to my family doctor about this...he set up the app't for the 23rd of March the the emg. He told me that they will tell me right there what the problem is once the test is done.
I'm taking mtx, plaquenil, sulfasalazine, celebrex , flexeril
Maybe it is something like CTS. I imagine they can tell you if that's what it is also.
Good Luck with your appointment. Keep us in the loop.
Thanks Lovie
Will u be having an emg?
The neuropathy is hammering me these days too. What I've learned so far is that pain is variable with neuropathy.
There may be just some discomfort if the tingling, shocked, or nerve burning sensations are distracting, or there may be severe pain, or anything in between.
In part there is a difference seen depending on which types of nerve fibers are involved. Even in the same place (say, the hands) there are different types of nerve fibers that can be affected, and some are more known for pain, others for motor function problems, others for the numb/tingle thing.
But there can be a mix of those symptoms in any case. And it can also be a function for how long you've had the symptoms and how much it has progressed. In other words, a bit of numbness might in time become noticeable pain. Hopefully that won't be your experience.
One way to think about carpal tunnel vs neuropathy is that carpal tunnel seems to affect the thumb and next two fingers most often rather than all the fingers.
I've been taking Lyrica for my neuropathy symptoms, and it has helped. It helps the symptoms, but apparently not the underlying problem. Mine has actually spread fast, but that seems to be unusal and we're trying to figure it out.
Good luck with the testing. Like everything else around here, it can be a murky pond!
Yeah I've had the burning sensation...plus an electrical shock type of thing once in a while. These two things are once in a while but over all though, no pain involved.
My doctor did suspect CTS at first because the numbness is in my thumb, index and middle finger. But he was surprised I had no pain and that's when he started talking about possibly being neuropathy.
Thanks for all the info, RK.
I haven't seen a neruologist yet. My RD has tried a to firgure out what's been going on including starting me on Lyrica which as helped with a portion of my leg that was really bad. He told me that if stopping the Humira didn't help with the other symptoms I will more than likely have to see a neruologist next.
My RD appointment is Monday. We'll see what he says then. Is the emg the nerve test thing?
Same boat as the rest of you and the Pain Specialist did ask the question about the thumbs being involved in the numbness which they are not. My hands go numb and tingling during the night and the wrist splints don't help any more although they helped for a long time.
I have to move my hands all the time or they will do the numb/pain thing. I believe that the EMG is the nerve conduction tests and I'll be waiting for the doc to order me one. At least the Pain Specialist is not ignoring it. All the other docs have. I would really like to know how extensive it is.
Nerve conduction test info...
During the test, flat electrodes are placed on the skin at intervals over the nerve that is being examined. A low intensity electric current is introduced to stimulate the nerves.
The velocity at which the resulting electric impulses are transmitted through the nerves is determined when images of the impulses are projected on an oscilloscope or computer screen. If a response is much slower than normal, damage to the myelin sheath is implied. If the nerve's response to stimulation by the current is decreased but with a relatively normal speed of conduction, damage to the nerve axon is implied.
EMG info
A needle is inserted through the skin into the muscle. The electrical activity is detected by this needle (which serves as an electrode). The activity is displayed visually on an oscilloscope and may also be displayed audibly through a microphone.
Since skeletal muscles are often large, several needle electrodes may need to be placed at various locations to obtain an informative EMG.
After placement of the electrode(s), the patient may be asked to contract the muscle (for example, to bend the leg).
The presence, size, and shape of the wave form (the action potential) produced on the oscilloscope provide information about the ability of the muscle to respond to nervous stimulation. Each muscle fiber that contracts produces an action potential. The size of the muscle fiber affects the rate (how frequently an action potential occurs) and the size (the amplitude) of the action potential.
Hope you get some asnwers soon as well, Deanna
OUCH!
I guess the more nerve damage you have the less painful the test would be.
YICKS; I'm not too anxious to have those test done.
Actually it might be the other way around--more nerve damage might make it more painful. Don't know for sure, but you might want to look at this thread about people's experience with the test:
http://rasushi.jconserv.net/viewtopic.php?t=378
The terms emg and nerve conduction study seem to be used somewhat interchangeably. What generally happens is that they do the skin stimulus first (usually just called nerve conduction study--they put the electrodes on the skin and zap you, usually uncomfortable but not terrible, though some have a bad experience).
Then, depending on the results of that test, or if your doctor already ordered that both parts of the test be done, they may also do the emg part, where they put a needle in and stimulate at the muscle level. I haven't had that part. It's known to be more uncomfortable (sounds like "painful" to me) than the skin-based conduction study.
The two tests give different kinds of information about the type and extent of nerve damage.
I just had both tests. I believe you have it mixed up. The emg is the electrodes and zapes to the skin, not enjoyable but tolerable. The nerve conduction tests is where they stick the needles into the muscles and zap, sorry to scare anyone but that one really hurt me.