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Author Topic: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome  (Read 18069 times)

GutterDawg

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Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« on: January 14, 2006, 05:44:28 AM »
I'm just curious if anyone out there has carpal tunnel syndrome and if so were you able to keep bowling?  A few weeks ago I started getting a numbness in my right hand and when I went to the doctor he said I had an "advanced case" of carpal tunnel syndrome.  In fact, he was surprised that I was able to hold a pen to write my name, much less do anything else.  He wanted me to have surgery ASAP, but I have no intention of quitting on my teammates so I am going to wait until after the end of our league in April.  My biggest question is that even if I have the surgery will this continue to be a problem from now on or will I be able to resume doing all the things I enjoy (such as bowling).  I've been told by some people that after the surgery I will be good as new and by others that I'll have to take it easy from now on or the problems will return.  If anyone has any first hand experience they would be willing to share I would greatly appreciate it.
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charlest

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2006, 02:05:43 PM »
Don't be an ignorant macho fool, who's asking to be permanently crippled!

So you won't quit on your teammates? Are they that selfish that they'd risk your being crippled? Not very good friends, are they or don't they realize what could happen to you?

If that all seems a bit harsh, it's because I've been there and am there right now. I had carpal tunnel surgery 10 years ago on my right hand and I'm right handed. I started bowling again about 3 months later and have not had one pain and no numbness since then. I'm going to have CT sugery on my left hand next Friday, Jan 20th. Diagnosis is moderate to severe CT.

From all current information, current CT surgery is significant less problematic than 10 years ago; the incision is not about 3/4" vs the 3" scar ai have on my right hand. STitches are now removed in 1 week instead of 3 weeks and the doctor said I can use it again in about 4 weeks to do almost anything I want.

I think you ought to ask the doctor (or look on the internet) for the details of what involved with CT. It's tendonitis of all the tendons going into your fingers. They are swollen and are CRUSHING the median nerve going throught the Carpal Tunnel in your wrist. If the tendons stay swollen, the damage to your nerve will become permanent. That nerve transmits nerve signals to your thumb, forefinger, middle finger and 1/2 of your ring finger.

The tendons are swollen because you are using too much muscle and the tendons supporting those muscles are pressured beyond what they are supposed to stand. After you have surgery, some muscle building is probably recommended in the wrist, forearm and hand. Otherwise, the tendonitis will probably spread up your foreaarm.
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BrooklynSlop

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2006, 02:11:49 PM »
I have it! "DON'T HAVE THE STUPID SURGERY!!!!!!!" LOL!
That is actually EXACTLY what my doctor told me. He said that the surgery would relieve the pain and numbness UNLESS I went back to the activities that caused it in the first place. He said that the surgery was only a temporary solution.

Here's what he suggested for me and it has worked TREMENDOUSLY!

Take Vitamin B-100 complex 2wice per day (breakfast and dinner). Try to get the "time release" kind if you can find it. Wal-Mart has it and it's only $6 per bottle. AMAZING! The pain was GONE and the numbness has almost gone away completely.

Wear a wrist brace when you sleep (one specifically designed for people with Carpal Tunnel). Again, Wal-Mart has them!! This will help keep you from "over extending" or keeping your wrist flexed during sleep, which puts pressure on the Carpal Tunnel and causes the Median Nerve to pinch... That's when you wake up with that awful painfully throbbing numbness. (For those of you who don't know, it's not AT ALL like when your limbs "fall asleep" and you feel tingling... it HURTS!!!) It's inconvenient at first, but you get used to it and it's worth it. In fact, I only wear mine when I have a problem now... But I did wear it every night for at least the 1st 3 or 4 months.

I hope this helps. Feel free to PM me if you want to chat about it more.

-Jason-
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charlest

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2006, 02:32:30 PM »
Bad recommendation, Jason.

That B-100 pill is a load a crap. I take them regularly and they don't do squat for Carpal Tunnel syndrome. Never heard any doctor NOT recommend an almost trivial surgery. That brace only helps the numbness and pain at night; if he continues bowling, THAT will continue to harm the tendons and they will swell even more. THAT'S A FACT. The nerve will get more and more crushed.

The tendonitis will only go away with rest, NON-use!

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BrooklynSlop

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2006, 02:58:48 PM »
quote:
Bad recommendation, Jason.

That B-100 pill is a load a crap. I take them regularly and they don't do squat for Carpal Tunnel syndrome. Never heard any doctor NOT recommend an almost trivial surgery. That brace only helps the numbness and pain at night; if he continues bowling, THAT will continue to harm the tendons and they will swell even more. THAT'S A FACT. The nerve will get more and more crushed.

The tendonitis will only go away with rest, NON-use!




And why the hell are you jumping all over my case here????? I'm only telling of MY experience. THERE IS TONS OF RESEARCH showing that the Vitamin B Complex reduces the swelling of the tendons in the Carpal Tunnel, thus relieving the pressure put on the Median Nerve.

Another thing, charlest: If the B Complex Vitamins "don't do squat", then why do you take them????????? THAT MAKES NO SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!

Also... Are you a doctor??? You must be since you are completely refuting my ACTUAL doctor's reccomendations. Sorry, but I trust his 22 years of practicing medicine and it WORKED FOR ME. There are ton's of other success stories of this more HOLISTIC approach posted all over the internet and in medical journals. IT WORKS!!! IT'S PROVEN!!! A simple Google search should tell you that. (In fact, there were more stories of the SURGERY NOT WORKING, then there were of the HOLISTIC approach not working when I was doing MY research on it.)

Finally: How can you call this a bad reccomendation?????? SHAME ON YOU for being so NARROW-MINDED! I would not PROMOTE it if I didn't have PERSONAL PROOF that it worked for me. I HAVE NO PAIN! I HAVE NO NUMBMESS! And yet I still play golf, bowl on a daily basis, play the drum set, and whack it like a pro!! AND NO PAIN!!!

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS, charlest, M.D.???? HOW?!?!?!?!?!

Sorry for going on a rant... but you STRUCK MY MEDIAN NERVE the wrong way with that response.

Gutter, sorry for hijacking your post. Here is my suggestion to you given these 2 differing opinions:

Take some time off of bowling. (charlest was right here... you should take a break. When I made my post, charlest's post wasn't up yet. We must have been replying at the same time, but it's good advice.)

Try MY approach first. (If it works for you, then YAY! If not, give it a couple weeks, THEN try the surgery.)

All I'm saying is don't jump to your last resort before trying other options. It makes no sense. That's what my doctor told me and, hopefully, it will help you as well as it helped me.
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BrooklynSlop

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2006, 06:45:03 PM »
quote:
GutterDawg - I also have pretty bad carpal tunnel injury, but it doesn't bother me for bowling.  Mine comes from years of computer usage, since write computer software for a living.  I can't really do much more than type with my right hand - its been years since I could pick up a small object like a dime or marble with my right hand.  I can hardly use a mouse for example and can barely sign my name.

My doctor also recommended surgery, but I decided against it.

Instead, I've just adjusted my work habits so that I learn to use the quicker keystroke shortcuts instead of reaching for the mouse, and I try and use my left hand as much as possible for stuff that requires finger dexterity.  Oddly enough using a keyboard doesn't bother my hand at all.  Still haven't found an acceptable substitute or workaround for handwriting, so mostly I just avoid it.  

Carpal Tunnel doesn't bother my bowling - at least not in anyway that I'm aware of.  For me my problems are more in grasping and manipulating an object smaller than a baseball with my right hand.

My mother in law has the same carpal tunnel injury that I have, and she had the surgery but it didn't help her at all, so I'm reluctant to have surgery.


I'm telling you... Try a Vitamin B Complex (B-100) twice per day and wear a Carpal Tunnel wrist brace nightly and you will see an improvement accross the board.

However, in your case... it sounds like you may already have some long-term damage.

Sawbones... Despite your expertise in the matter, I'm still going to heed my doctor's advice. Simply and plainly... It has worked for me. I have almost no problems now. None. It was a GREAT alternative to surgery, which not only "puts you up" for a few weeks, but it's not always successful either.

Having said that, if I do every have any future re-occurence of the injury, then I will consider the surgery because that means the holistic alternative is no longer effective. My doctor did warn that after about 10-15 yrs, I may start to experience the symptoms again...
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charlest

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2006, 06:50:48 PM »
quote:


And why the hell are you jumping all over my case here????? I'm only telling of MY experience. THERE IS TONS OF RESEARCH showing that the Vitamin B Complex reduces the swelling of the tendons in the Carpal Tunnel, thus relieving the pressure put on the Median Nerve.



Because you're tellinghim to continue to abuse his hand and it will get better by magic.

quote:

Another thing, charlest: If the B Complex Vitamins "don't do squat", then why do you take them????????? THAT MAKES NO SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!


I didn't say I took them to relieve my Carpal Tunnel SYndrome. I tak ethem as a supplement. I DID day they didn't help my Carpal Tunnel syndrome!


Also... Are you a doctor??? You must be since you are completely refuting my ACTUAL doctor's reccomendations. Sorry, but I trust his 22 years of practicing medicine and it WORKED FOR ME. There are ton's of other success stories of this more HOLISTIC approach posted all over the internet and in medical journals. IT WORKS!!! IT'S PROVEN!!! A simple Google search should tell you that. (In fact, there were more stories of the SURGERY NOT WORKING, then there were of the HOLISTIC approach not working when I was doing MY research on it.)


and I had 3 orthopedist tell me the opposite; 1 was a friend and 1 operated on me and the 3rd will operate on me. So which one is lying?
Nothing is PROVEN!

quote:

Finally: How can you call this a bad reccomendation?????? SHAME ON YOU for being so NARROW-MINDED! I would not PROMOTE it if I didn't have PERSONAL PROOF that it worked for me. I HAVE NO PAIN! I HAVE NO NUMBMESS! And yet I still play golf, bowl on a daily basis, play the drum set, and whack it like a pro!! AND NO PAIN!!!
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS, charlest, M.D.???? HOW?!?!?!?!?!

[/quote]

I am not a doctor; I just have a littl eexperience in the matter.
Maybe it depends on how bad it was and individual differences. But your solution did not work for me.
[/quote]


Sorry for going on a rant... but you STRUCK MY MEDIAN NERVE the wrong way with that response.

Gutter, sorry for hijacking your post. Here is my suggestion to you given these 2 differing opinions:

Take some time off of bowling. (charlest was right here... you should take a break. When I made my post, charlest's post wasn't up yet. We must have been replying at the same time, but it's good advice.)

Try MY approach first. (If it works for you, then YAY! If not, give it a couple weeks, THEN try the surgery.)
[/quote]

I agree in part here. It all depends onhow bad the situation is. Testing (it's called and EMG test. They measure the nerve flow outside and inside the hand.) will help determine.

quote:

All I'm saying is don't jump to your last resort before trying other options. It makes no sense. That's what my doctor told me and, hopefully, it will help you as well as it helped me.[/quote]

Jason,

I was a little harsh I admit. Probably because I need the operation. My fingers are now totally numb all the time. If they weren't,  could have had some cortisone shots to reduce the swollen tendons. I'd hate if his became the same as mine. If I wait any longer, the nerve will suffer permanent damage and will not regenerate as my right hand did.

I did try several things to cure this, including rest, and the night time glove, before I opted for surgery. I assure you I do not WANT to be cut; I just figured I had no more options left, if I wanted to continued use of my hand. I will also lose approx 4 weeks of bowling and 4-6 weeks of work (no work, no pay for me - so thi sstep was NOT taken lightly.)

GutterDawg,

Ignore Jason & my thread hijacking. Do something soon, one way or the other. I strongly urge the measurement test to see just how bad it is.
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GutterDawg

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #7 on: January 14, 2006, 09:54:44 PM »
quote:
Don't be an ignorant macho fool, who's asking to be permanently crippled!

So you won't quit on your teammates? Are they that selfish that they'd risk your being crippled? Not very good friends, are they or don't they realize what could happen to you?

If that all seems a bit harsh, it's because I've been there and am there right now. I had carpal tunnel surgery 10 years ago on my right hand and I'm right handed. I started bowling again about 3 months later and have not had one pain and no numbness since then. I'm going to have CT sugery on my left hand next Friday, Jan 20th. Diagnosis is moderate to severe CT.

From all current information, current CT surgery is significant less problematic than 10 years ago; the incision is not about 3/4" vs the 3" scar ai have on my right hand. STitches are now removed in 1 week instead of 3 weeks and the doctor said I can use it again in about 4 weeks to do almost anything I want.

I think you ought to ask the doctor (or look on the internet) for the details of what involved with CT. It's tendonitis of all the tendons going into your fingers. They are swollen and are CRUSHING the median nerve going throught the Carpal Tunnel in your wrist. If the tendons stay swollen, the damage to your nerve will become permanent. That nerve transmits nerve signals to your thumb, forefinger, middle finger and 1/2 of your ring finger.

The tendons are swollen because you are using too much muscle and the tendons supporting those muscles are pressured beyond what they are supposed to stand. After you have surgery, some muscle building is probably recommended in the wrist, forearm and hand. Otherwise, the tendonitis will probably spread up your foreaarm.
--------------------
"...for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise...."
J. R. R. Tolkien


Thanks for the info!  I think you misunderstood my comments about quiting on my teammates.  They would never ask me to do anything that might cause problems.  I just am the type that believes you should live up to your commitments if at all possible.  You really nailed me with "ignorant macho fool" comment.  I'm the type that usually won't go to a doctor unless it's a life or death situation.  Been that way all my life, but it runs in my family so I come by it naturally.  You are also right on the money about which fingers I'm having the problem with.  It's to the point now where I can barely feel anything with my thumb, index finger, and middle finger.  I'm wearing a brace like the one BrooklynSlop mentions and for the same reasons he mentions.  The doctor told me that I would probably do more damage sleeping with my wrist bent than I would any other time.  One of the girls I am dating is a nurse and she says that she has suggested that I have the surgery ASAP so I'm probably going to be getting cut on soon if for no other reason than to get her off my back

Thanks again!
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BigWillyStyle

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #8 on: January 15, 2006, 02:14:57 AM »
quote:
One of the girls I am dating is a nurse


HOLY HECK...you're a savior to us all! You've got Carpal Tunnel yet still have time for NUMEROUS women...?!? I can only hope to be a mack like you one day...



Seriously though, I have CT in my bowling hand too (from how I bowl), and it'll flare up from time-to-time. I haven't gotten the surgery (nor do I plan to) cause I've known a few people who it did nothing for. As for everything else....I don't really do much. If it starts bothering me during bowling (like it did this past Thursday night) I just pop a few Tylenol Arthritis and gently massage the joints that are bothering me...guess I'm hard-headed about quitting out on teammates as well.

Big Willy Style
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Centers

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #9 on: January 15, 2006, 02:57:07 AM »
I dont think CT has anything to do with this, but there are times when I bowl, I'll get into my downswing, and my wrist will just pop.  It happends once every 5 or 6 weeks,  and it happened one time bowling nationals.  It'll hurt for a few seconds then goes away.  Anyone know what this is caused by?
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Sn

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #10 on: January 15, 2006, 03:43:15 AM »
Well fellows, I think it's better for GutterDawg to seek MEDICAL ADVICE instead of ADVICE FROM A BOWLING FORUM.
Clearly, this is not a bowling issue. Don't ruin somebody's hand if you're not a doc.
And GutterDawg, the Carpel Tunnel Syndrome could worsen and handicapping. Don't just sit there and take your risk.
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charlest

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Re: Bowling with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
« Reply #11 on: January 15, 2006, 04:19:07 AM »
quote:
Well fellows, I think it's better for GutterDawg to seek MEDICAL ADVICE instead of ADVICE FROM A BOWLING FORUM.
Clearly, this is not a bowling issue. Don't ruin somebody's hand if you're not a doc.
And GutterDawg, the Carpel Tunnel Syndrome could worsen and handicapping. Don't just sit there and take your risk.


Agreed!

I wouldn't have said anything and would have suggested the only Bones, a real MD, should post anything, except that I have had it. I have researched it well beyond what 3 different orthopedists have told me and wound up requiring surgery, no matter what I did on the right hand 11 years ago and will have it on my left hand in 5 days. I feel I had something relevant to say.

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