Carpal Tunnel

DC817

DC817

PR Addict
Anybody deal with carpal tunnel? Every time I’ve rode this year my right hand is completely numb after about 3 laps. Riding mountain bikes it’s numb every mile or so. I can rest and shake it out and it goes away in a few minutes usually. Some mornings I wake up and my hand is numb for a few minutes also.

Sounds like carpal tunnel to me but could it be something else? I’d rather not get surgery just as racing season is starting if that’s what it is. Anybody found relief any other way? Cortisone shots? Called the doctor today, waiting to hear back for an appointment. Just curious if anyone else has dealt with this.
 
jj584

jj584

PR Addict
Yes both hands. I am down to 30% feeling and looking to do surgery in the next year or two. Couple of tips, lots of stretching of the wrists, forearms, neck and back, lots of massaging of the same. There are some braces for when you sleep. it spreads the fingers and hands out so you don't clinch this helps a lot. Look into whatever you can to reduce the vibration and shock to your hands, flex bars, larger diameter grips whatever you can find that works.
 
jfalat

jfalat

PR Addict
I have the same thing... cant ride more then a few laps and my fingers, mainly my right had go completely numb.. went to the doctor several times and had x-rays.. they came back with server arthritis.. i my case, shots in the joints and exercising the finger joints and wrist.. i hate getting old...:mad:
 
GeorgiePorgie

GeorgiePorgie

PR Founding Father
Could be combination of things. Median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel, this nerve gives you feeling into thumb, first and second index finger and half of the third finger.

is your pinky also numb? Is it truly your entire hand that is numb or is it only the fingers I described above ?
 
jfalat

jfalat

PR Addict
GeorgiePorgie said:
Could be combination of things. Median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel, this nerve gives you feeling into thumb, first and second index finger and half of the third finger.

is your pinky also numb? Is it truly your entire hand that is numb or is it only the fingers I described above ?
Click to expand...
For me.. they all get numb, but its worse in my little finger,ring finger and middle.... i have a stinger tingle feeling even when i am not riding... throw in some bike time and cant hold on to anything for long..
 
ck1racerx

ck1racerx

PR Addict
I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand in February this year. Had all the same issue as explained above. The final straw was he damn thing waking me up at night because it was so numb... Literally an 8 minute surgery. Full recovery (full range of motion and strength) did take a while. I would say 3 months off the bike. BUT for sure worth it.
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Feb 9th and today
 
DC817

DC817

PR Addict
GeorgiePorgie said:
Could be combination of things. Median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel, this nerve gives you feeling into thumb, first and second index finger and half of the third finger.

is your pinky also numb? Is it truly your entire hand that is numb or is it only the fingers I described above ?
Click to expand...

It’s the whole hand for me.
 
Meister

Meister

PR Founding Father
I have it horribly. It's definitely been a factor in my riding for many years. Over the past 4-5 years it's affected many other parts of my life too.. numb and pain like all the time. Doc said in 2016 I had severe CT, specially for my age. Riding, being a scaffold builder, and a painter has definitely taken it toll.

My pinky doesn't go numb, but everything else does. And it hurts. Sometimes it hurts so bad using a paint brush I have to take breaks to stretch it out, which hardly helps. I've tried the stupid braces and they don't do crap. I wake up every single night because my hands are numb all the way to my elbows. It blows.

I've had two rounds of shots, and they help for about a month and a half. I am trying to find a time to get the surgery done, but my hands are vital for me to make a living. I'm definitely having it done by September because I wAnt to do some actual racing next year. It's truly not worth the money right now. I did figure out that I can ride flat track and my hands are ok, so if I dont get surgery, I'm just gonna convert my bike to flat track lol.

I see a Dr at Omni Ortho in Canton by the name of Dr Rckterman. He's cool and I've heard of many success storys with him.
 
GeorgiePorgie

GeorgiePorgie

PR Founding Father
No pinky involvement slam dunk Carpal Tunnel for Meister.

A specialist will be able to do a full work up looking at your c5,6,7,8 and t1. Also looking at your brachial plexus to see if thats involved.

Whole hand Numb suggests might have more than just your median nerve involved. Or could come from higher up in the pathway. (Hence need for
Full work up)

Median, radial and ulnar nerves supply the hand. But they Originate off brachial plexus which is near your clavicle (ever broke a collarbone?) just above that they branch out from c5,6,7,8 and t1 vertebrae. Just below brachial plexus there’s another one near your bicep as well “musculo-something” can’t remember off top of my head. From there you get to radial ulnar and medial nerve. Anyway that’s why it’s important to get a full pathway work up because yours might not be carpal tunnel at all. Could be combination of carpal tunnel and there’s also cubitol tunnel in the elbow. Referred to sometimes as golfers elbow or some other completel. I’d for sure go see a specialist now. Plan to get it fixed if needed right before end of year when deductibles reset. Could try Physical therapy to, but the doc will order that. You just gotta get to the doctor/pa/np let them decide and see what works. Might be some impingement/entrapment issues that you can work through by different stretches etc. physical therapist can help with that. If that doesn’t work surgery might help or maybe won’t. Doc will know. *And this is not medical advice. See a specialist, I’m sure they can get you relief!
 
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jfalat

jfalat

PR Addict
Went to the doctors a year or so ago and had a nerve conduction test... talk about mid evil s**t.. they hooked me up to felt like 110 volt and shocked me.. not doing that any more.. thats where they came up a degenerative arthritic... really going to have to work on the problem soon because its not going away.
 
MarctheSharc

MarctheSharc

PR Founding Father
First, Go see a Kinesiologist - have them do full body muscle / nerve test.
Talk with them about EVERYTHING you do - good and bad.
What you eat, sleep, drink, smoke. How you work, play - everything.
That way they can understand and make recommendations

Then, ask for a referral to neuromuscular therapist - to work on the issues found.
Don't cut until you've exhausted these options
 
ck1racerx

ck1racerx

PR Addict
Rub it with seahorse urine and essential oils of the Parrots beak Lotus for 3 weeks. Then when your done with the hippy voodoo crap, talk to a good surgeon.
Some therapy is good, but when it is effecting your sleep, its time for a knife.

Is that affecting or effecting? I always screw those up.

That's shock text thing was the worst part. no fun there for sure. but you can handle it.
 
ck1racerx

ck1racerx

PR Addict
I forgot a pretty funny story... I am left handed. Only my right hand was bad. Doctor said "That is very rare, what do you do with that hand?" and gave me the raised eyebrow look... I said no I need both hands for that, but I raced motocross for a long time. "Yep, that will do it also" Nurse laughs and walks out. I should have come back quickly and said "I swear that never happens to me before" or something cleaver, but I was not quick enough.
 
GeorgiePorgie

GeorgiePorgie

PR Founding Father
Surgery always should be last ditch after you’ve tried everything else. Same with like swallowing pills. Working to fix underlying problem before just going right to a Med.

Off topic example: If your eating 3 McDonald’s meals a day and wonder why your cholesterol is high and you think the fix is taking a statin....you should probably take a look at adjusting your diet and you won’t need the statin.
 
Romanyak256

Romanyak256

PR Addict
Yupp! I blame penthouse! All kidding aside it sucks. When i was at pax last weekend i made it like 30 laps on the 500 and my hands were completely numb. Towards the end of the day it was every few laps, not sure if it was arm pump or Carple tunnel.
 
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