Carpal Tunnel? Update post 14!!!! Help?

[Grace]

I have Carpal Tunnel in both wrists. I wear splints to bed at night, and that pretty much takes care of things. Could you wear a splint, and still be able to work? Or just wear one when it is the worst?

[Freedom]

Once you are diagnosed, the company HAS to accomodate you.

I worked one place where the company HAD to get voice activated software for the woman who had carpal tunnel in both wrists. She has the splints but the doctor wrote that she could NOT do constant computer work. I wasn't in her department, so I don't know all the ins and outs of how this developed.

Something to think about!

[Lilith Cherry]

I have had CTS surgery on both sides and it made such a difference! It really wasn't bad at all and the recovery time was quite short for most things except grasping heavy things; typing was okay. If you have it in both hands though don't let them do both at once -- it can have embarrasing consequences for personal hygiene!

[Cataholic]

I had it in one wrist, and would do it all again in a heartbeat!

As to whether a company has to accomodate you or not, while I recognize there may be some oddities in state laws, my experience has been that unless you are disabled, in accordance with the ADA, there really isn't a 'law' that says someone must accomodate your situation.

The term "reasonable accomodation" is linked to the ADA, not to anyone's statement of their general condition.

[Trinityagain]

Where I work has been extremely accomodating. I actually think I would be handling it better if it hurt. But it doesn't hurt, my hand just goes completely numb....which kind of scares me a little

As I said, I've had 5 trigger finger surgeries and from the way the carpal tunnel surgery was described it is the same idea, just in the wrist instead of the hand itself....guess I'll see huh?

thanks for the information!

[RedHedd]

I've had the nerve test and am being tested again next week. It's not too awful, but can be surprising. It feels like tiny pin prick shocks.

[Laura's Babies]

I have it and it comes and goes and has for many years. I wear the brace as much as I can for a few days or overnight and that usually takes care of it.

[Toby's my baby]

I've dealt with it. I broke my arm 3 years ago riding horse, and after it was healed, my hand was numb most of the time, and very cold. I had an EMG and a nerve test, and my nerves were actually dieing, FAST. So, I went in the very next day for carpal tunnel surgery. The surgery did NOT make my hand not numb anymore, or stop it from being cold, it just made is so the nerves weren't dieing. I had another problem though, my bones or something was pinching my nerves. I endured 5 more EMG's (electromyogram) and nerve tests. Finally I had another surgery where they put tubes around my nerves, and that has solved the numbness problem, but I still have great pain when I need to write/ take notes/ etc.

The EMG's are not fun, usually when you have the little prickly needle thing, you also get the one where they shove needles into your muscle, move it around, and then shove it in deeper, THEN moving it 3 inches and doing it over again .. . all the way up to your arm pit. .

I would have the surgery again though, because it stopped the death of my nerves, it was an outpatient surgery, and, the recovery time is very fast. I was in a wrap for about a week, and was able to do mostly everything on my own.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!