Freaking out about carpal tunnel. Need peace of mind and advice!

[Allaboutteeth5]

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[KittySquared]

I am a freshman doing my undergrad and I am seriously all about being a dentist. I've been waitressing for almost 2 years and started to notice wrist soreness in my left wrist. I've been taking it easy on my wrist at work (I only work twice a week) but I'm going to talk to my manager about switching to host so my wrists don't get worse. I'm just worried this will mess up being a dentist. I am also purchasing a wrist splint today. Anyone else had these problems?

Glad you're passionate about dentistry. I think switching to hosting is a good idea, although carpal tunnel doesn't manifest as mere pain, but more like weakness and sometimes tingly/numbing sensation. Your median nerve gets pinched from overworking those palmar muscles so you gradually end up with carpal tunnel. There are surgical ways to correct it like the transverse carpal ligament release where they snip it to give the muscles and median nerve more freedom.

If you're dealing with some issues and it's starting to become a bit debilitating i.e. hindrance to you completing regularly daily tasks, see your doctor. For now, take some ibuprofen for the pain and cold compresses (ice bag). That should help to take the inflammation down a bit.

 

[wo5678]

I play the piano, draw, and type alot. Naturally, I got carpal tunnel. I wouldn't recommend getting surgery unless it is your last option. I see a chinese doctor that does all these massages and acupressure stuff on my hands and arms. He says that even blockages all the way up to my shoulder and contribute to carpal tunnel. It is extremely painful what he does to me and I am sore for a couple of days. But my carpal tunnel is gone. I go back to him every two weeks or so for more torture. I would recommend seeing a hand physical therapist first before considering surgery.

Also, with everything that you do, make sure you have good alignment.

 

[jeffity]

Look online for stretches and such to do before working and be mindful of it (besides just the pain). I've had some of that and even some current weird stuff going on that better clear up before school (lab specifically) starts. Luckily, my brother is a physical therapist specializing in hands only. So he's given me a....wait for it...hand.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

warm compresses and light massage. and ibuprofen. don't get surgery unless it's your last resort

 

[Allaboutteeth5]

Thanks for all the replies! I will definitely go see my family doctor next week and do some exercises. I just started noticing this pain about a month ago so hopefully things are okay!

 

[Bis-GMA111]

Thanks for all the replies! I will definitely go see my family doctor next week and do some exercises. I just started noticing this pain about a month ago so hopefully things are okay!

your family doctor will most probably tell you a combination of what we've just told you lol. unless the carpal tunnel is severely debilitating (in which case you'll prob get recommended to go to an orthopedist), you'll prob get the run down of ibuprofen, hot/cold compresses, limiting computer time, stretching exercises, etc.

 

[xainabaz]

Stretch it my friend.