Hand stuff

[mamadeb]

I just made an appointment with my primary physician. For Sunday at 12:30.

I'm overdue anyway for blood tests and weighings and such.

But that's not why I'm doing it. I'm doing it because my fingers are getting numb and tingly.

I can feel, but it's like doing it through a glove. I can sense temperature and texture and such. I can type just fine.

I've had carpal tunnel for twenty years, since I spent a couple of weeks building boxes using a pneumatic staple gun. Which was fun, but I had a hard time taking notes in class a week after I finished. Since then, holding things in my right hand might make it numb and needlework and games like Blockout made it worse.

This sort of feels like that, but it also doesn't. A finger will get a painful tingle at the top and then it will get numb. This is scary. Again, it hasn't limited my ability do things like write or cook or grip or anything.

At this point, I suspect it's the knitting, since my left hand is also having this problem. I haven't knitted in a week, though, and there's no signs of improvement. Just the opposite - left pinky is getting tingly. Still, I think a pinched nerve is the most likley problem.

On the other hand, I've been a Type II diabetic for six years now, and I'm far from perfect in diet. So it could also be neuropathy. I googled about it last night.

The technical name is "finger parethesis", which means tingling in the fingers." Uh. yeah.

Anyway, I've made the appointment with the doctor. This means I don't need to be nagged about it. :)

Comments

[magid.livejournal.com]

I'm just busy being impressed that an appointment is available on a Sunday.

[ex-pumagrrl389.livejournal.com]

I've had something similar two years ago. I didn't see a doctor about it, and it disappeared after a couple of months.
I hope your fingers get well again soon, too. Praying for you.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I wish you a quick refu'ah sh'leima.

And I read "finger parethesis" as "finger parenthesis" and wondered momentarily if those were like air quotes. :-)

[tod-hollykim.livejournal.com]

Mamadeb, have you had swelling around your wrist or hand lately?

I have that problem because of my Advair for my asthma. I've found one thing is to reduce the amount of salt I take on- which may or may out help you.

But the other thing when my wrist swells up and my hand got cold and tinglely- a compression glove. It's like the support gloves, but has no support band, it's just a glove. It's like a gridle for your hand. It makes it easier for me to do things and takes most of the pain away. But the seams sometimes leaves deep marks in your hand if you swell up that much. You can change that by just wearing the glove inside out.

If your doctor recommends one of them, you can find it usually were you find the usual ankle supports, ace bandages, wrist supports/etc in the drug store.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Nope, no swelling. And I don't eat a lot of salt, or cook with it.

[tod-hollykim.livejournal.com]

Umm, hokay. But make sure you remember to ask about a compression glove and if it would help you deal with the pain and tingling. It's a bit odd with glove, but it is flesh tone and is safe than drugs if it can help.

I'm just bummed I can't find it in colors or maybe black with studs. ;-D

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

I'll certainly talk about gloves. But I find the wrist support necessary.

[tod-hollykim.livejournal.com]

Then one of those wrist supports with the glove should help.

I found the compression glove thing because I needed a wrist support for a bit. See, I usually push anything around my wrist up towards my elbow when I'm working. I pick my shirts for either roll-up sleeves (regular shirts) or if t-shirts, don't stretch completely out when pushed up there. I knew any of the usual wrist band support would wind up there, sooner or later. So when I had to get one, I got one with a glove attached so that it would stay where it needed to be. The side benefit was it helped with the swelling.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. It's early for me, I had a bad night and I've been unconscionably rude.

I'm pretty sure it's either pinched nerves or neuropathy and the second one scares me. Because it probably means insulin.

[tod-hollykim.livejournal.com]

{{{{{{Mamadeb}}}}}

Insulin isn't so bad now-a-days. They have approved inhaled insulin. I've two young friends who have juvenile diabeties. They have insulin pumps installed. So you don't need to have to use a needle.

But I hope it's just something dumb and not neuropathy.

You'll be in my thoughts today. Let us know what the doctor says.

[tod-hollykim.livejournal.com]

PS I had a cat who was diabetic and got insulin shots twice a day. I took over giving Bruce his shots when my mother got sick. It was easy, or mostly easy. But then cats have that area of loose skin on the back of their necks where the mama cat picks them up where you can give them the shot without them feeling it. As as a cat should eat right after a shot like a human, Mom trained Bruce to come when it was time for his shot and then gave him a treat afterward.

It got so he would be waiting for me to come over (I still lived accross the street from my stepdad then) in the morning and at night to give him his shot.

[estherchaya.livejournal.com]

I have this sensation that you're describing in both hands all the time. Though it is coupled with pain in my wrists. I've had carpal tunnel syndrome for about 15 years and it has kept me from ever being able to knit or crochet with any regularity (which has kept me from getting especially good at either), which isn't fair because I love both.

I hope it's just the knitting. By now you've probably already posted about your visit and know the answer, but I remain in suspense because I'm so far behind in LJ.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

My left hand has almost completely recovered, and my right hand is better.

Which also tells me it was the knitting.

I do NOT want surgery.