You've Got To Be Kidding!
Most of my friends know that I've suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis for several years. My hands swell, are painful, and I have trouble gripping objects like screwdrivers. I've been to 3 different rheumatologists for treatment.
Last week, I went to a new doctor (because my last one was a major jerkpod). After a full exam, blood work and xrays, he tells me, "I'm not sure you have Rheumatoid Arthritis!"
He explains that I don't have swelling in the joints, but rather, swelling around the joints, and my grip strength is normal, except that I can't maintain it. His thought . . . Carpal Tunnel.
So, I go yesterday to a neurologist for an EMG/ENG electromyography/electroneurography). If you ever have a chance to have one of these, PASS!.
The first part has a nurse shocking the nerves in your hands with electricity, and measuring how well they conduct the current, and how much your muscles jump. I've been hit with 120, working around some electronics, and it was exactly like household voltage. The best part was the arm nerves, where she had to dig the cattleprod into my armpit, because the nerve is deep under the muscle. She kept telling me to relax, and I told her, "then get that damn bar-b-que fork out of my armpit". ZAP!
Then, the doctor comes in, and breaks out the needles. He pokes a needle into the muscle near the nerve, and measures something. I have no idea what, but it was something. A couple of them I didn't feel at all. Then, he did another that hit right on the nerve. I felt that one.
Then, he said, "Ok, this is the last one, and it's a bit tender". He then jammed the needle into the palm side of my hand, in the meaty part below the thumb. I've never done this before for any medical proceedure, but I let out a yelp, and barely censored the words coming out of my mouth, ending up screaming "Mother Puss Bucket". The doctor said they save that one for last, because if they did it early on, you'd never let them stick you again. And he's right.
Conclusion: I have severe Carpal Tunnel in my right hand, and mild in my left. My right definitely needs surgery, but maybe not my left. Good news is the surgery should reverse the damage, and alleviate the symptoms.
Go figure, I've taken arthritis drugs for 8 years, and they've never worked. Turns out, there's a reason. Doctors are jerkpods!
Last week, I went to a new doctor (because my last one was a major jerkpod). After a full exam, blood work and xrays, he tells me, "I'm not sure you have Rheumatoid Arthritis!"
He explains that I don't have swelling in the joints, but rather, swelling around the joints, and my grip strength is normal, except that I can't maintain it. His thought . . . Carpal Tunnel.
So, I go yesterday to a neurologist for an EMG/ENG electromyography/electroneurography). If you ever have a chance to have one of these, PASS!.
The first part has a nurse shocking the nerves in your hands with electricity, and measuring how well they conduct the current, and how much your muscles jump. I've been hit with 120, working around some electronics, and it was exactly like household voltage. The best part was the arm nerves, where she had to dig the cattleprod into my armpit, because the nerve is deep under the muscle. She kept telling me to relax, and I told her, "then get that damn bar-b-que fork out of my armpit". ZAP!
Then, the doctor comes in, and breaks out the needles. He pokes a needle into the muscle near the nerve, and measures something. I have no idea what, but it was something. A couple of them I didn't feel at all. Then, he did another that hit right on the nerve. I felt that one.
Then, he said, "Ok, this is the last one, and it's a bit tender". He then jammed the needle into the palm side of my hand, in the meaty part below the thumb. I've never done this before for any medical proceedure, but I let out a yelp, and barely censored the words coming out of my mouth, ending up screaming "Mother Puss Bucket". The doctor said they save that one for last, because if they did it early on, you'd never let them stick you again. And he's right.
Conclusion: I have severe Carpal Tunnel in my right hand, and mild in my left. My right definitely needs surgery, but maybe not my left. Good news is the surgery should reverse the damage, and alleviate the symptoms.
Go figure, I've taken arthritis drugs for 8 years, and they've never worked. Turns out, there's a reason. Doctors are jerkpods!
Make sure you find out what to do to help prevent the carpal tunnel from coming back. Being in the cosmetology profession, I see this a lot. It technically can come back and at least w/hairdressers, it often does.
There are different ergonomically correct keyboards and other computer equipment as well as braces that'll help.
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Anonymous |
11:32 AM