Is this normal? Pain, numbness & tingling after doing fine motor work...

[crunchy_mommy]

I used to do a lot of fine motor work (various art/craft pursuits, playing instruments, writing by hand, etc.) and haven't really done that kind of stuff regularly over the last few years due to other medical issues. But more & more I notice that it's painful for me to do things like that now... Like writing thank-you cards, it really hurt by the 6th card (and my used-to-be-perfect handwriting is now horrendous because I just don't seem to be able to control a pen as well as I used to). Or yesterday I was pulling lint from the velcro on DS's diapers... it was painful and now today I have some numbness & tingling in those fingers & I realized this (the tingling) seems to happen a lot whenever I've done anything with my hands (even carrying in groceries). My arms tend to fall asleep a lot too while I'm sleeping and are very painful & tingly when I wake up (I do try not to sleep on them, of course!)

So is this just part of getting old or something??? I'm not even 30!!! But it's getting to be annoying, especially because it's so hard for me to be able to do the things I used to find easy & enjoyable...

[Koalamom]

Are you still eating paleo? Do you have lyme?

[crunchy_mommy]

Eating vegan & GF.... I don't have lyme.

[Koalamom]

Vegan and GF. That is hard to manage. How do you do it? Oh wait, grain free or gluten free? They both are GF.
Do you take a b12? Some of those symptoms sound like b12 deficiency's.

And I asked about lyme as I have many issues you have wrote about in the past and the numbness, I always wanted to know if you ever got tested for lyme. For me that is what it turned out to be.

[shelleyd]

It sounds like it could be carpal tunnel syndrome.  I just found out that I have carpal tunnel and I'm not even 30 either!  I get shooting pains from my thumb to my elbow while doing fine motor repetitive tasks.  Then my hand goes numb.  It is very annoying!

[crunchy_mommy]

Hmm it could be carpal tunnel I suppose... I only get that kind of shooting pain when I open jars though... But I spend a ton of time on the computer so I wouldn't be surprised.

I did get tested for lyme a few times & it was always negative -- plus I've never gotten a tick bite. But I really do fit almost all the symptoms so I don't know!!

I mean gluten-free, though I *try* (unsuccessfully) to minimize other grains as well.

I was taking B12 for a while but didn't notice any difference in anything and all the supplements were getting expensive!! There is a new doc I am planning on seeing once I get better health insurance and he might be more help... but that's on hold indefinitely.

[shelleyd]

My doc recommended sleeping with a wrist brace on.  He also said to just take ibuprofen prior to activities that I know will cause pain.  Beyond that he said that eventually if it is bad enough, he would refer me to a surgeon.  For me it is nowhere near considering surgery.  But maybe try sleeping with a brace on.  I mean if that doesn't help it is sure not going to hurt while you are waiting to see a new doc.  Waking up with tingling or numb hands is a classic carpal tunnel syndrome symptom.  

[tanyalynn]

My carpal tunnel was helped by magnesium and cell salts (check out the cell salt thread for info).  The most cost effective B12 supps I've seen are the mega B12 drops on holisticheal.com.  Per dose, they're pretty cheap, but there are a lot of doses in each bottle. 

[Don Harte Dc]

You have vertebral subluxation in your neck, which is where the nerves come from that go to your arms and hands. There is nothing medical for this. You need to seek out a straight chiropractor. Get adjusted. get well. You will find your health will improve, across the board. And Chiropractic is the best thing for kids, so that they can develop according to their genetic potential. www.chirodrharte.com   www.correctingthecause.blogspot.com

Be Well

Don Harte, D.C.

[eireann]

Oh, how I sympathize. You could have carpal, or cubital tunnel syndrome, which is compression of the ulnar nerve. You could also have a bulging disc in the cervical vertebrae which might be pinching one of your nerve roots and causing these issues. Starts at the neck and can travel all the way down to your fingertips. Computer use is a maaaajor contributor to these problems. It screws up your posture, neck alignment, muscles...everything. Sounds like these compression issues are recent problems so getting to a DC and/or PT could be really beneficial. HTH!