Hand surports

You can experiment and see what works for you - they are easy enough to take on and off. JB

Thank you I try I let you no how I get on first night wearing them last night was horrible so uncomfortable

It can take a few nights to adapt to them - make sure thay are not fastened too tightly, the aim is not to cut off the circulation to your fingers, just to keep the wrist straight. JB

Thank you for coment I think I had them to tight better now thanks again

Hi just thought I update you my left hands seems bit better my right still going numb on one side with supports on not as much without them on though I see how they are in two weeks thank you

It's worth trying those for about 4 weeks altogether. If there are still significant symptoms at that point we will consider steroid injection. JB

Thank you for your reply

Hi jb I keep taking my hand surports off I'm waking up with pins and needles finding I've taken them off very frustrating any ideas on keeping them on its not every night but 50 50 thanks kim

That's a good question that one - I take it that as long as they stay on you sleep through OK? We could experiment with a different design that might be harder to remove. There are many available and I have one sample in the office which I bought out of curiosity. Have a look at the sorts of variations available (a search through Amazon reveals a good range with pictures so you can see just how much variety there is) and I will ask Emma if she has any thoughts on the matter too. JB

Hi jb I'm finding that I don't have much trouble during day so much now and not so bad at night when I keep hand surports on lol I will try amazon thank you for ur message I don't like being restricted

I just bought: '2 x Hand Palm Wrist Gloves Supports Brace Band...
www.amazon.co.uk
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Brought these what do u think http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009VJZY3E/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00...

Most patients adapt to them in a week or so but some never do I'm afraid - we always have the injection option. JB

Thank you jb I give it a little longer thank u

If you are taking the splints off during the night without being fully aware of this you could try putting something extra over them to make this less easy to do. For example a bandage, some tubinette or a sock with the toe end cut off. These could be held in place with some tape and would mean you couldn't easily get to the velcro straps to undo them. Just make sure you don't put anything on too tightly as you should avoid restricting you circulation.

The new supports you have purchased appear to be elasticated and without any metal bar, so they may not actually hold your wrist still. The benefit of the standard splints with the metal bar in them comes from holding your wrist in a straight/midline position and preventing you from further squashing the nerve by bending the wrist forward or backward.

I'll be interested to hear if you find a good way around this problem and if the new splints help. EK

Well they are at least very inexpensive but as Emma says they may not provide enough resistance to stop you curling up the wrist to sleep. It's also theoretically possible that this design might increase the pressure in the carpal tunnel, especially if they are tight. You have an ideal opportunity to experiment - try one design splint on one hand and the other one on the other hand and see which hand seems to do better. JB 

Thanks I will try what u have said thank u I thought they had metal bar it said they did I will stop them coming and try what u have said

At that price from Amazon I would try them anyway out of curiosity! There's no harm in experimenting a bit with this sort of thing. JB

Ok I keep u informed

Hi jb those hand surports were no good thought they had surport so I'm back on my other ones still getting pins nedding in both hands at night imI trying not to have steroid injections as they don't last long I keep hand supports till I can't cope then I have injections is that ok with you kim

I always find it interesting that all the information we have about steroid injection and CTS translates, in the summary view of many patients into "steroids don't last long". I suppose it depends on how you define "long" but I have met a patient whose symptoms remained in remission for 48 years after one injection which I suspect is "long" by any human standard. The statistics from Canterbury show that about half of the patients we inject have not returned to the clinic for further treatment a year after injection so there seems to be about a 50% chance of at least a year of benefit. We don't know much about which patients are good candidates for injection. Those attending a surgical clinic are probably less good candidates as studies based in such clinics tend to show lesser benefits. One question which interests me is whether it is better to inject earlier, when symptoms are milder or when the NCS results are less abnormal, or whether it is better to wait until the problem is more severe - no-one really knows the answer to that though we are working on it. JB

Hi jb I have given hand surports a good try but it keeping me awake alot now I was wondering if we can think on injections I feel like I'm giving into it but there so numb I wake up not being able to do anything till they come back to life. I need to let work no so I can have time off how long would it be till I can go back to work and ill need to boom day off to come and have it done if you agree thanks kim

We can probably do it for you any day next week if you can get to Canterbury. Exactly when depends on your work schedule - one good idea would be to do it quite late in the day after work. Unless you are very unlucky you should be fine to go to work the following morning. JB

Hi jb thsnk you so. Much I work shift work I not got my rota yet will message you soon as I no thank yo kim

OK we will try to work round your shifts so as to cause least disruption to work, just let us know as soon as you can what would suit you. JB

If I booked 1 April off would that be ok I can get my friend to bring me is it both hands or only one thanks jb

We can probably do any time 1st April, or possibly late in the day on 31st March. We can decide whether to do one or both hands on the day. JB

Hi jb I. Normally work 8 am till 4pm if I'm on that would it be ok to come after work then I have to let you no if I am this week I. On 3 11 so can't do it thanks kim

Between 4-5pm one day next week should be possible. JB

Hi Emma sorry don't now how to change my subject from hand supports to steroid injections my left hand is really good now no pain it went off after an hour all ok thank you kim

No need to change subjects but if you want to start a new discussion thread you can. Glad to hear its feeling better. JB

Thank u jb slept bit better my hands still went numb but no pins needles I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that go to thank u so much kim

Thank you for the updates. Glad to hear that the left side settled quickly yesterday. Please do keep us posted on how they progress. Emma

Thank you I will keep in touch

Hi jb and Emma I just thought I updated you my hands are brill no pins needles at all I get is little numbness at night but not bad thank you for everything I let u now how I go on xx

That is good news, thanks for keeping us up to date.

Hi Emma and jb just letting you no everything is ok with my hands it's great thank you again

As always it's a pleasure to hear from someone who is symptom free - it's a nice balance to the patients who are getting back in touch because they have a problem. Let's hope it lasts. JB