Advice please
Hi. All
I have osteoarthritis and have had surgery on both thumbs Trapeziectomy a couple of years ago . For the past few months my left thumb has been painful with a tingling sensation also index finger hurts . I have seen GP Who thinks could be CTS now I have the feeling of the pain all up my arm into neck causing me to feel like there's a nerve trapped in neck .This causes me to feel dizzy when lying down for a few minutes . Can someone tell me if these symptoms can be all to do with CTS .
Thank you
Hello thanks for reply mine started in Thumb I just put it down to Arthritis if I put my head over to right feel pulling in left side of neck .If it is CTS what treatment would there be I have had injections in elbows shoulders and before operation on thumbs I had them injected also done under X-ray which is an experience I will never repeat .As the pain at the minute is in my thumb Elbow shoulder and tight in my neck I'm hoping it's just Arthritis .What will the nerve tests show ?
Nerve tests would show whether there is definitely a problem with the nerve at the wrist. The steroid injection at the wrost for carpal tunnel syndrome is usually not very traumatic - similar to having a blood sample taken and alleviates symptoms promptly in 80% of patients so it makes quite a good test for the diagnosis.JB
I am such a whimp with needles but seriously the ones in my thumbs under X-ray were so painful I really cried they said there wasn't much of a gap to get needle in so maybe that's why my shoulder one didn't hurt at all will have to see .Thanks for advice .
It's certainly possible - some people do, rather illogically, get symptoms all they way up the arm resulting from CTS but it can work the other way round too with symptoms in the hand actually originating in the neck - or you can have both of course. The most helpful things in sorting it out are the nerve conduction studies and the response to treatment. Doing the questionnaire here on the website will give you a rough indication of how likely it is that the problem is CTS. JB