Whats the view on carpal tunnel

[toonertoo]

I was looking for some paper work and I found some from a lawyer in 1987. I know eons ago. I was a preloader at the time, and on the way home from school one night, I got rear ended...when I stopped for a dog in the road, pulling up to a red light anyway.
The guy who hit me, his insurance would not pay my medical. I had to go to court who sent me to a doctor, who did tests on my wrist coz my hands were numb. The finding was the carpal tunnel was caused by my occupation, not the accident.
Like I said, I have gotten used to the numb fingers, its the pain, I cant take. While I love the automatic, It is at an odd position, but I would definetely be dead in the water without the power steering, Yes I am lucky. And im also sure the years of having manual steering, had absolutely nothing to do with the decline in my strength. Especially the old 600's and 800's that took a football field to make a turn. It will be what it will be, Im not going to fight with anyone over how I got it, or why. I remeber at one time we had a doc at our preffered office who had been on the truck and knew what we did.
When I had a bout with diverticulitis he told them I could go back to work, just take it easy on me. This old fart, had not a clue. He just assumed I had some desk job, and why was I saying Im not ready. He thought I was just lazy, you will have that. Something I am learning is no one understands what we do.
Just riding around all day, whats so hard about that!

[dilligaf]

Originally Posted by UpstateNYUPSer

Nobber (or should we call you Hob), that was great advice that you gave to Tooner. I'm glad that you took the time to read all of the posts, absorbed the content, formulated an opinion, and then presented it in a clear, concise manner. I see nothing but greatness in your future.

BTW, it is spelled "whining".

Nice, Upstate that's funny.....

[toonertoo]

Yes I liked it also

Originally Posted by toonertoo

I was looking for some paper work and I found some from a lawyer in 1987. I know eons ago. I was a preloader at the time, and on the way home from school one night, I got rear ended...when I stopped for a dog in the road, pulling up to a red light anyway.
The guy who hit me, his insurance would not pay my medical. I had to go to court who sent me to a doctor, who did tests on my wrist coz my hands were numb. The finding was the carpal tunnel was caused by my occupation, not the accident.
Like I said, I have gotten used to the numb fingers, its the pain, I cant take. While I love the automatic, It is at an odd position, but I would definetely be dead in the water without the power steering, Yes I am lucky. And im also sure the years of having manual steering, had absolutely nothing to do with the decline in my strength. Especially the old 600's and 800's that took a football field to make a turn. It will be what it will be, Im not going to fight with anyone over how I got it, or why. I remeber at one time we had a doc at our preffered office who had been on the truck and knew what we did.
When I had a bout with diverticulitis he told them I could go back to work, just take it easy on me. This old fart, had not a clue. He just assumed I had some desk job, and why was I saying Im not ready. He thought I was just lazy, you will have that. Something I am learning is no one understands what we do.
Just riding around all day, whats so hard about that!

Tooner, some more thoughts to consider....ironically enough, I do remember reading about cases in which traumatic CTS develops after some trauma or shock of an auto accident, in which immediate and sudden clenching as you described occurs. I also have read about neck problems presenting themselves as CTS, so if you got rear-ended like you did, you could easily have jarred your neck a little, and you could have a pinched nerve or a disk pressing on a nerve that presented itself in your hands/wrists. Sounds like either could have happened to you, and after time the nerve(s) have recovered for the most part. Also sounds like the lawyers were able to argue somehow this was occupational CTS, probably because 15-20 years ago or so, this stuff really started getting ramped up as being an occupational illness without much argument. I would guess that in today's courts, your medical expert and lawyer could easily argue that the auto accident was the cause of your problems.

But now with age and the other risk factors described in my previous post, you may have naturally occuring CTS or some other neuropathy that is more circulatory in nature.
You may want to ask your doc to scan your neck to see if you have a remaining disc issue, before your go through a surgery that may not help you. Or I think a nerve conduction study (EMG) may also clarify where that nerve is getting pinched (neck, elbow or wrist), or if it is getting pinched at all. I think that test is considered the gold standard to clarify if what you have is CTS or some other neuropathic issue developing.

I have seen guys get the carpal tunnels done (wrist), then still have issues and then they get the cubital tunnels done (elbows) without much relief, and then they find a cervical disc causing all the problems. Most docs do not understand this and throw that CTS diagnosis out there as an easy answer. You should ask questions like this and see what how he/she responds. Or a specialist like a physiatrist may be the best way to go.

[UpstateNYUPSer]

It just drives me crazy when these kids come on here, don't have a clue what we go through, and then commit a CWT (Commenting Without Thinking).

[Bad Gas!]

Tooner...You know if body.If it continues to cause pain and you can't show up to work healthy and ready to go..file an repetitive injury report..The numbness is a cause for concern in my non-expert opinion..

[upslady20]

Water retention in your hands or wrists?? That does not sound good.. Did I read that correctly??? I think you need to have yourself checked out.. that way you might feel like a spring chicken when the warm weather finally hits your area.. I know that cold weather has to be really hard on your joints and muscles...
We sweat most of the year in Florida but I prefer that to aching bones from the cold...

[toonertoo]

My Boss md, thought it was water retention, its not its called swelling.
Warm weathers coming, then ill worry if it doesnt get better.