Q: For a few years I have had arthritis in my left wrist, and lately I have been experiencing numbness in fingers and thumb. It is difficult to pick things up or even turn the pages of a book. Is there anything I can do to get the feeling back in these fingers?
A: Numbness in thumb and fingers is a classic symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome, also known as CTS. Other symptoms include burning pain or tingling in the hand.
To understand CTS, you must first understand the wrist's anatomy. The bones of the wrist are called the carpal bones and, along with a ligament, they form a tunnel through which the median nerve and several tendons run. The median nerve is the one that supplies sensation to the thumb side of the hand; if the nerve becomes compressed within that tunnel, numbness in thumb and fingers can occur.
Several factors may have caused your median nerve to become compressed. Your longstanding arthritis could have caused spurs to form on the carpal bones, trapping the nerve and resulting in numbness of fingers. Any inflammation from your disease may also cause swelling within the carpal tunnel, which compresses the nerve. In fact, arthritis-related diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and pseudogout, are common causes of CTS.
If you have one of these diseases, the way to treat carpal tunnel syndrome is to treat that underlying disease process. Often, however, CTS occurs in the absence of underlying disease. Sometimes, the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is simply overuse of the wrist.
Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome can include using wrist braces, especially at night; having periodic injections of steroids to reduce swelling; and avoiding activities that aggravate the symptoms. Although these measures generally work for a while and may offer lasting relief in some cases, more severe cases require surgery. An operation that involves opening the transverse carpal ligament and releasing the median nerve from entrapment can often relieve the symptoms.
In my opinion, the best thing you can do is discuss your symptoms and possible treatment options with your physician.
Tim Lambert, MD, Family Practitioner
Today it seems that they rush to surgery, some of my friends have had very poor outcomes from surgery. I will stick to my exercises and upside down table.
With RA the joints in my feet get inflamed also, plus plantar fascitis. I had to go to a podiatrist and get special orthotic shoe inserts, I can't ever go barefoot because the pain comes back immediately and makes it almost impossible to walk. Once the pain is in control there are some great sandals and cute shoes that you can get so you don't have to feel doomed to a life of ugly shoes!
The omega-3s are great, but using fish oil is against my ecological principles. The oceans are in very serious trouble and some unscrupulous companies use the strip mine mentality to produce the fish oil. Also check to see if your product has been tested for toxins. Some have pretty high mercury content. I also HATE burping fish! Flaxseed and primrose oil works well for me.
Because I am young, I found a GREAT rhuematologist and I am using the new medications that are available. It's true that the insert that describes the side effects is scary, but I refuse to be disabled! I have to keep my job and get my kids through school. Even after the first treatment it was like my life was back to normal! Don't let fear control your life.
I was diagnoised with arthritis in my neck back in 1972. Now I have stiffness in my neck and my back . What are good exercises for my neck. I was diagnosed with arthritis in my back a few years ago.
Thank you for your time,
Gloria Williams
Previously, I COULD ONLY find Emulsified Omega 3 at Good Nutrition stores! (Didn't want to leave that error hanging out there....this merchant is WONDERFUL and has changed my life with their holistic products)!!! Look them up on-line if you don't have one in your neighborhood.
Also, I neglected to mention that you can (and should) call a Good Nutrition store before taking any all natural supplement, and tell them what prescription drugs you're currently taking, and the dosage.
Although I've never known Emulsified Omega 3 to interfere with prescription drugs, (I once lived with an 8o+ year old woman who previously was on everything from heart to high blood pressure medications, who used Emulsified Omega 3 with no problem), its always best to be informed and, to develop good habits when taking prescription and holistic medicines at the same time.
And, the reason you want to take such a whopping dose the first time is to saturate the joints. It works.
Please let me share something that is providing me exponential relief of all of the symptoms above, plus some! EMULSIFIED OMEGA 3!!!
Unlike gel caps or other Omega products, Emulsified Omega 3 goes directly to the joints. After about 3 weeks of consistent use, most of you will realize a drastic improvement if not a complete remission of your symptoms!
Previously, I could only find the Emulsified Omega 3 at Good Nutrition stores or on-line, but my daughter told me that she saw some on the shelf at our local (Alpharetta, GA) Kroger, yesterday!
It comes in 3 flavors: Orange, Mint & Regular (I tried em all but ended up back on the plain one. As far as I'm concerned you can't disguise the taste of fish oil no matter WHAT you do to it)!
An older woman advised me on how to take it and I've been passing that piece of advice along ever since. Here goes: For the first dosage, drink all the way down to the top of the label on the bottle! You probably won't be able to gulp it all in one dose (unless you're like my daughter & my pastor's wife), so take a couple tablespoons at a time at intervals, until you've gotten down to the top of the label. After that, take 2 tablespoons daily until you feel improvement. After you're satisfied with the results you can either go down to 1 tablespoon daily or 1 every 3 or 4 days.
In order to get this stuff down, I also have to: hold my breath, gulp it down, then chew a block of celery. (Works wonders for cleansing that fish taste out of your mouth). I recently found that chewing up a few olives works just as well.
Flax oil taken the same way works well, too, but I haven't found the relief to be as immediate and as long term as the Emulsified Omega 3 - it lowers blood pressure TREMENDOUSLY, and relieves bursitis, carpal tunnel and most other severe joint inflammation!
I experience tolerable lower back pains.Lately I have pain in my knees when I climb steps.I walk every day for 45 mins excpt Sat& Sun. Shall I stop or minimise the time of walking?
Thanks
Thank you
Please advise!
Thank you
numb. Now it seems the numbness is spreading to the palm, up to the wrist. Sometimes when I use the hand for something as simple as holding a pencil I get shooting feeling like and electric shock. When the hand has not been used--such as when I wake up in the morning, the pain of numbness is not there. Any suggestions to prevent this pain from numbness will be appreciated.
thank you very much
Now my left thumb and writ are giving me serious pain.I can not pick nor hold anything with it. No swelling.
Please, what should I do? I need your help.
Recently, it's started in the left hand...only the tips of the 1st 3 fingers.
Have tried all kinds of therapy: chiropractic, massage, exercises, neck traction. None of the symptoms described re: cts seem to fit, although I occasionally experience being awakened with both my entire arm "falling asleep" ...sitting up relieves this; however, the numbness in the tips remains constant.
This morning the ache extended into the lower part of my arm. Relief only comes when I sit or stand upright for a few minutes.
Once in awhile I will experience a slight numbness in the same fingers during the day. Does not last long and has no regular pattern.
I am 78, 5'10" (and shrinking) wieght 230. Sleep on my side for years due to having sleep apnea years ago. None since. bp a bit above normal.
Thank you for your time.
Jim Ash
Leave a Comment