Pinched Nerve / Carpal Tunnel?

stackcash

stackcash

I Sell Words
BuSo Pro
Digital Strategist
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Messages
776
Likes
1,164
Degree
3
I've been dealing with a bitch of a pinched nerve in my left arm over the past few weeks. It starts up around my neck/shoulder, with the most pain around my bicep. My index finger and thumb get that "tingly" feeling. Is this a sign of carpel tunnel?

Everyone I've been talking to has been saying that the doctor will just tell me to take an NSAID and wait a few months to see if it goes away. Do you guys have any suggestions? It's the worst while I'm sitting at my desk doing work.
 
Hey @stackcash. Lookup "hand yoga" on YT and do a few of those, like 1 in the am and 1 in the pm for a week or so and report back. Had the same sort of thing and, as weird as it sounds, it went away no problem in about 10 days or so. Also, I'm not a doctor and my advice could be pretty useless. :wink:
 
Thanks @c4yrslf12. I'll check those out tonight. They look pretty useful at first glance.
 
I have some crazy pain in my left elbow and wrist as well. Don't know what it is, but it gets crazy painful at random times. Almost feels like tendinitis.
 
I have had the same thing as well, even some numbness in my foot after long stints at the desk (made me walk like friction' Frankenstein). That was 15 years ago. I solved it (for myself) even though I still spend up to 18 hours engaged.
1. Get a serious chair. Herman Miller Aeron- http://d.pr/11TjJ or Mirra Chair. Major game changer.
2. Create a standing station. Even if you use it just for one or two of your tasks, it forces you to move around more. Your arms and hand positions change.
3. Multiple workstations. this can be a s simple as laptop at a table, on the couch, floor, whatever. To a more elaborate secondary desk at a different height angle etc. I change it up a lot.


See: https://www.buildersociety.com/threads/post-your-battlestation-2015.359/#post-3606
 
@Alex VanDavid I currently use the Herman Miller Aeron and its the best chair i've ever used. +1 to game changer! I agree 100%

also consider looking at gel pads for mouse and keyboard and your positioning of your legs and arms according to how you are sitting. I believe there are certain ergonomic factors to how you site. (ie: knee's bent are 90 degrees, etc. )
 
12 year warranty on that chair!? O_o

Looks pretty legit. What's the price tag? All the brochures are informational from what I see.
 
A herman miller is definitely on the horizon. Just gotta recoup from xmas presents and then is on. Should have grabbed one years ago.
 
@c4yrsIf12 I got a couple over 10 years ago for about $700 ea. No regrets. Cheaper than back surgery...
 
OMG i've been battling a pinched nerve for the past two weeks. Chiropractor said I have a pinched C5/C6. It's causing the most annoying pain running along my right bicep all the way to my thumb and index finger.

Three things that really helped me:
Sleeping with an elevated pillow (towel under pillow) helped greatly every night.
Stretch your neck before you sleep and when you wake up.
Take tumeric supplements from walmart, CVS, or your local drug store. It's a natural anti-inflamation supplement. NSAIDs are really bad for your liver.....

My condition has been improving, but after 4-5 hours of using the computer. The pains come back....

If it really hurts, take a hot bath for 30 mins. Helps greatly!

Also, becareful of using muscle creams like salonpas spray or tiger balm. Because your nerves are highly sensitive in the pain areas, the ointment will feel like it's burning your skin in the areas that hurt.

Gluck.
 
I've also been supplementing with liquid glucosamine with chondroitin for joint health.

my doctor said to avoid red meat until you feel better. something with red meats protein that increases inflammation.
 
I got bad carpel tunnel in my mouse hand a number of years back. I switched mouse hands (that was slow) for a few weeks and then got a trackball mouse instead. I cannot use a normal mouse anymore or it will flare up on me. My neck and shoulder are not fans of sitting at a desk. I tested out an Aeron chair and a Leap chair and ended up going with the Leap- mainly because it didn't have the mesh and was warmer on my back. Once I get back to work (with family now) I might look into a standing desk. Movement helps a lot, take breaks.

Also I have a sports massage lady who works wonders as well as a chiropractor. Combine all that I I can mostly stay away from the NSAIDS
 
It sounds like all of you guys consider this to be a long term issue. Kinda scary....but some great tips here. Thanks everyone.
 
Get a program called "workrave" http://www.workrave.org/ It will force regular breaks on you.
It gets on your nerves, but please follow these RELOIGIOUSLY, especially the small "micro" breaks.

Thank me in 3 years that you can still work.

Did I mention it is free?

::emp::
 
I've gotten more and more into ergonomic things as I've begun to experience more repetitive stress issues, especially in the fingers and wrists. There was a period of a week where my left arm from the elbow and down would go completely numb, which is when I became serious.

I've been practicing some things, buying some things, etc, that are eventually going to lead to an ergonomic thread at some point. Not worth mentioning the details here yet but I agree that we should all take this very seriously, especially if you are NOT experencing symptoms. That means it's not too late.
 
Nice. I'd be interested in reading that when you get the chance.

This is something that I always thought wouldn't happen to me. But, it's obviously much more common than my naive, younger-self would have assumed. I guess it's time to grind a little more in order to afford all those ergonomic goodies.
 
@stackcash , @all
No need to "afford" anything.

OK.. long story short, being young and stupid and having stupid bosses, I developed RSI in both arms.
Due to stupid doctors (in retrospect) it developed into a chronic affliction. That means that yes, I have some pain in my arms every single day.
It is now mild enough that I don't need to think about it.

So, what did and do I do?
Workrave
Again, use workrave (http://workrave.org) it costs $0 and WILL save your arms and hands. It gets on your nerves, but it is worth it.

Book recommendation
As what I have is NOT carpal tunnel, this book and the "micro" stretching exercises in it have helped tons.
http://www.amazon.com/Conquering-Ca...d_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=04ZFHHZZWFTBMGGBVXQV
Get it if you are serious.

Put your keyboard FLAT - while it might feel better, having your keyboard at an angle means you'll bend your wrist as well, which is a no-no. I use this:
http://www.logitech.com/en-ch/product/illuminated-keyboard-k740
But just folding in those lifter feet on your keyboard is enough for a start.

Drink enough - lots of water means all your joints and sinews get enough lubrication.

Again, no need to really "afford" anything. Get workrave for free. If you insist on spending money, the 100$ for the keyboard are going to be the biggest item.
The book is $16.50 new or $0.89 used.

::emp::
 
Thanks @emp

Already got started on a lot of this and the pain has subsided. I'm still having the "tingle" feeling daily, but the episodes seem to be happening further apart.

A change in habit is never easy, but I've gotta admit this was necessary.
 
Slept on my hand the wrong way and now have two tingly fingers as a result. Thread popped up just in time.
 
Holy hell. Im legit having the same problem, my hand gets numb from my middle finger to pinky. Starts from my elbow. Feels like when you sleep on your arm and its dead, i dont have any pain.

Do you workout? I think mine might have been caused from heavy bench press

Edit: or maybe not reading this thread. Damn so glad i stumpled upon this thread
 
I go to the gym a few times a week, but I figured out what tiggered the numbness.

I always fall asleep with my girl with my while I'm on my side, right arm under my pillow, and left arm over her. I noticed that whenever my head/neck was at that angle, the tingling feeling would start almost immediately. So, I changed how I fall asleep, and the shit is long gone.


builttodominate said:
Holy hell. Im legit having the same problem, my hand gets numb from my middle finger to pinky. Starts from my elbow. Feels like when you sleep on your arm and its dead, i dont have any pain.

Do you workout? I think mine might have been caused from heavy bench press

Edit: or maybe not reading this thread. Damn so glad i stumpled upon this thread
Click to expand...
 
@stackcash

IGn2pog.gif

jXHQMqH.png
 
Good evening Builders,

I thought about opening a new post for mentioning these thumb exercises but I simply decided to up this old post instead.

I was/am feeling some pain in the left wrist/thumb since the beginning of the winter. I figured it was the temperature (around 9 communist degrees or 48 freedom degrees) and too much water/humidity, after all I grew up in the tropics and I'm used to 3 weeks of winter vs 3 months in these parts.

Anyways, this week I decided to google some exercises for my thumb pain. Here's what I found:


These simple exercises have helped me A LOT. Literally after the first time I already felt the difference. I'm doing them 2-3x a day.

I also figured what triggered my problem. It's the amount of keyboard shortcuts I'm increasingly using and the tension I put on my left thumb as I vary between Ctrl C, Alt Tab, and Ctrl V.

MetaData said:
@stackcash

IGn2pog.gif

jXHQMqH.png
Click to expand...

I LOLd hard at this!

red_devil010 said:
@Alex VanDavid I currently use the Herman Miller Aeron and its the best chair i've ever used. +1 to game changer! I agree 100%

also consider looking at gel pads for mouse and keyboard and your positioning of your legs and arms according to how you are sitting. I believe there are certain ergonomic factors to how you site. (ie: knee's bent are 90 degrees, etc. )
Click to expand...

My father had this chair at his office and I didn't like it that much TBH. I had the Celle also by Herman Miller and I liked it more:

IMG_9473.jpg


It is less fussy to adjust. Nevertheless, I found it more comfortable. If I were to use this chair again, I'd get a version with a non-perforated seat -- I would constantly feel my ass too cold from sitting too much and this is too "airy" for an air-conditioned office. I had a cushion to help with that.

As a side note, this is the only other post that I found that also talks about ergonomics.

Cheers,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back