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|  0 recommendations | Message 1 of 6 in Discussion |
| | (Original Message) | Sent: 6/19/2008 11:11 PM |
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| | (1 recommendation so far) | Message 2 of 6 in Discussion |
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Hey guys,
I am looking for anyone that can give me potential advice/suggestions into what may be going on with some issues in my right arm, basically from the elbow down. I've been having pain that has progressively gotten worse over the last 2 weeks, but it's come and gone for a few months on and off for quite a while. I worked with computers for the last 13 years professionally and I've been around computers for 23 years, since the age of 6.
I don't think this is carpal tunnel and neither does my doctor, but I'm really starting to wonder now if it may be, or something else close
I will attempto to describe to you my pain in my hand/forearms as best I can. But first I'll give you a little background on my RSD. My RSD is in my back, due to an auto accident in 2003. It's only in my back from my neck to the middle right of my spine, back up through my right shoulder blade and through my shoulder, and down my arm sometimes. But now I've had this other issue starting with my right arm that's hard to determine weather it's RSD or not... .
I've got the pain through my right shoulder blade and down my arm usually on the bottom side of my upper arm, and to the outside portion of my forearm on the right side of my forearm just below the elbow. Basically I'm so sensitve and hypersensitive to touch it's not funny. My back is extremely sensative to touch, and heat. I make it an effort to wear sleeveless tshirts as much as possible, and ice as much as I can too. I also just got a huge 32oz. pump bottle of BioFreeze and I've been having it put on my back, and all the way down my right arm probably 2 times/day average.
So the reason I ask for your experiences and thoughts on my situation, is partially because I'd like to get the best info I can on this issue. Moving on, this past week I've been having a really hard time with my right arm, specifically at my wrist where it meets my hand. I get really bad pain in the tendons, and also I have pain on the right side of my forearm just below the elbow (also tendon pain). The spot where I have the hardest time and the most pain though, is right on the underside of my forearm, basically where the wrist connects into the hand. The pain starts in the middle of my arm (on the tendons) from about 3 inches below where the wrist and the hand meet, and goes into my hand into the middle of my hand and also affects my thumb severely. It feels like my tendons are severely inflamed, and very fatigued, even after writing 1 sentence. I haven't been able to pinpoint anything that triggers the pain either.
I have some discoloration of dark blue/light brown in the wrist area in the center on and just outside the tendons. It just doesn't look right.
I saw my pain management/RSD doctor yesterday and first off, we did an x-ray yesterday. I've not heard back about it yet, but I'm willing to bet it's not broke. I've also gone and gotten occupational therapy for about the last 6 weeks and it's to the point today that I couldn't take the pain anymore just moving around my hand, fingers and wrist. I was also so inflamed earlier this week that I could twirl my wrist and hear almost every single one of my tendons pop inside my wrist.
I am also limited to writing about a page in my handwriting before I start to get throbbing brutal pain through my wrist and into my hand kind of angling towards my thumb sometimes too. It's sad because my college major is animation/illustration in college and I was just almost healthy enough to start drawing again until this latest flare up
I do exercises lightly to stretch my tendons in my arm and keep things moving at a minimum so I don't get stiff, as well as the contrast baths I'm doing every morning and sometimes 2 times a day for bringing down the inflammation.
If you don't know what a contrast bath is, then listen up. Take 2 plastic bins and fill them with water. The bin should be big enough to fit water and your your hand, wrist, and part of your foresarm (ideally) submerged when it's filled with water. You fill one with ice cold water, and the other bin with hot water. Then you start off by putting your hand in one bin for 30 secs, take it out immediately put it into the other bin for another 30 seconds. Keep doing this without stopping for a break for up to 7-10 minutes for the best results. The bath helps relief some of the tension and calms things down.
Anyway, my questions are.....Does anyone have any similar experience with pain in the wrist/into the hand like I'm having? or in the right side of the forearm from the tendons? If so what worked best for pain relief? If my X-ray comes back negative, where do you suggest I goto if my doctor just wants to dismiss it as "tendinitis"?
Thanks in advance....
~Phil |
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| | From:  Tami62 | Sent: 6/20/2008 4:38 AM |
Hi Phil,
First I want to tell you that none of us are doctors here so please take any advice carefully until you can check into it with your doctors.
I will tell you this with confidence. It is possible that your RSD is spreading and if that is the case then ICE IS A NO NO.!! Please stop the ice treatments until you find out for sure. Ice will make the RSD EXTREMELY worse. You really need to see your RSD doctor or pain management doctor who has been treating your RSD to get their opinion before using anymore ice or bio-freeze.
If they agree with the other doc that you can use ice than go ahead. Please read up on how ice affects RSD.
Now, you could have tendinitis or carpal tunnel and I have had both and they feel very similar in pain and discomfort. Both of them are treated by immobilizing the affected areas. (a wrist brace, a sling) No use of the wrist and shoulder at all for a few weeks. They may give you scripts to help the inflammation. There are a few other things they might try but start with that at home for now. You should also stop typing or writing with that hand. (no mouse either) That can cause carpal tunnel and tendinitis both. Just give things a rest for a few weeks and wait to see what your other doctors say.
I hope it feels better soon.
Tami62 |
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Thanks for the advice Tami!
First off, I'll tell you that I obviously don't know how RSD is affected by Ice, but I'll tell you this. It's the only thing that allows me to sleep at night and function. Basically, I can't sit sometimes or stand longer than 20 or 30 minutes because as soon as I start sitting or standing, the pain in my back starts building, even if I take a break for 15 minutes and go stand up if I'm sitting, I can come back and I'll have a little less pain than before but it'll slowly keep building upon how it was before that.
I saw my doctor Wednesday that treats me for RSD and pain management. She's a firm believer in BioFreeze and Ice being good for me, as it's what works for me. Basically I think she tends to not be concerned about things that give me relief as long as it's working and not creating anymore pain or other problems. As I've been told "Everyone responds differently than other people". Anyway my doctor Wednesday is the one that ordered my Xray, I'm going to contact her today and see if she has the results and go from there.
As far as immobilizing my right hand. Not going to happen for at least another month. I started summer school Monday and it's 4 days/week for 8 weeks. I'm continuing where i left off in the same class from last term so I'm hoping to get outta there as soon as I can so I can have time between the summer and fall term for myself and if I need to get any procedures etc done, or if I need to rest my hand.
I can't draw right now and it's been about a month because no matter what I do it hurts as soon as I get warmed up and into it. So instead of making myself more frustrated I've just go to wai until I et better.
As far as my RSD is related in terms of my back pain. The trauma from my car accident was in my back in the middle of it, just to the right of my spine. I had a seat handle pushing in my back for about an hour and some time while they cut the car apart to get me out becuase I was pinned between the front of the driver's seat and the dashboard/steering wheel..
The thing that gets me is, I only had 1 broken top right rear rib in my back and 2 fractured vertabre. I also had partially collapsed lungs. So, I healed up for about 6-8 months at home because I had alot of trauma from the impact of hitting the tree at 65mph without my seatbelt on. After this time of healing at home. I moved across the country to Los Angeles, CA and worked for 2.5 years without any pain except once in a while, and it would come and go every few months. I'd get the sensation of the seat handle pushing in on my back.
NOW- the twist. After being in LA for 2.5 years without any issues, and burning out from working 60-80 Hours/week, I moved home. I was excercising running about 5 miles min. on my folks treadmill when I started getting pain that became the chronic pain I have now. At this time the primary care doctor I have got an Xray and found 3 compression fractures in the thoracic (middle) portion of my back.
It's funny because when I would have pain that started, as the day went on the worse it would get, because my spine was compressing down and causing more and more pain. So at first, I'd goto bed, and wakeup in the morning WITHOUT moving a finger but I'd wakeup and not be in any pain, but as soon as I sat up, or basicaly stood up and put weight on my spine again the pain would be ever so subtle and slowly build up.
Now the point where it became chronic and never ending was when I'd goto bed hurting and be up all night in pain and never wake up in the morning feeling like my back had "reset" and basically decompressed.
So, after all the treatments I've had, from epidural blocks to chiropractors, accupuncture, physical therapists, all of them didn't work for me. As an orthopedic surgeon who referred me to my current RSD Doctor said after I explained to him everything I've tried "no matter how many drugs you throw at the thing, the pain never goes away either". This is the case.
Heat on my back brings me absolute brutal pain. I have to wear sleeveless shirts becuase if I build up heat. Ice is the thing that tends to calm the area down. When I can't sit, stand or do anything to get rid of the pain, I have to lay down and take my meds for breakthrough pain, and the recovery time is always faster with the use of ice.
So, I just wanted to tell you a little more about my situation so you understand where I'm coming from Tami. When I get back this afternoon I'll look for the affects of Ice and RSD. I also never ever take anything as "fact" that people say on here, or even in the doctor's office straight from the doctor at that. I'm a believer when I see it, not hear it. So don't worry about someone feeding me full of bullshit, I'm well aware of my surroundings :-)
Have a great day, and thanks for your reply!
~Phil |
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| | | From: Tami62 | Sent: 6/21/2008 12:04 AM |
Hi again, I am sorry if I came accross harshly. I didn't mean too. I appologise if I affended you and I am glad it is your RSD doc who is helping you with you wrist and arm. I hope you find relief soon. Take care and please forgive Tami |
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Hi Phillip, Yes I have had the same type of wrist pain that came in time with my RSD. I don't have it anymore. I chose to start ECT, electroconvulsive treatment for the past year. I am now able to lift weights, swim, fish, and just about everything I did before. Check with your doctor. I had this done in Sacramento. I've had RSD since 2002, and it started with a shoulder injury that took 2 surgeries to fix, and it left me with RSD that eventually spread to both arms, hands, legs, feet. There is hope. If you'd like any more info. on this treatment, I'd be happy to share with you. Best wishes, Sylvia |
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