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I know I need to see a doctor, but I just wanted to ask you stampers and see if anyone can give me an idea about what else I can do for my problem. I'm having some pretty bad pain in the top of my right hand, which shoots down from up near my elbow. Sometimes it's just in my hand, sometimes my hand and forearm, and sometimes even in my upper arm. I have been online a lot and my DD is getting married in 4 weeks and in recent weeks, I've stamped 50 vellum lampshades and I've had two Stamp Camps. It doesn't seem like Carpal Tunnel because I thought with CT, the pain is more in your wrist and in your thumb and first two fingers and my pain is more in my 3,4, and 5th fingers and the top of my hand and the TOP of my forearm.
I have fibromyalgia and a bad ankle (severely broken in 3 places and dislocated in 1988, requiring 4 surgeries) and I deal with quite a bit of pain, but this is really bad. It was so bad in church this morning that I could hardly stand it and I burst into tears when we got into the car, which is SO unlike me!
My DH and daughters are telling me that I need to see a doctor, but also need to stay off the computer and restrict my stamping to see if that helps. So I've been using the mouse with my left hand and limiting my typing to this message. I stamped a few cards this afternoon and that didn't seem to bother it.
The weird thing is that it doesn't hurt while I'm doing things, so I can't tell what's related to the pain. I do plan to see an orthopedic doctor, but I also know a chiropractor (I don't generally think much of them, but this one is different) who might be able to help.
Advice? Are there any medical people who know what this might be?
Sorry to hear about your problem. I can relate to the Fibromyalgia and also have Lupus to go along with it. I know pain, but I wanted to answer you and say that what you�re describing sound like my husbands problem before he had carpal tunnel surgery. His entire arm would hurt and he often hung it over the bed for comfort.
The surgery for him only took about fifteen minutes and he did real well with his recovery. I�d get it checked out and let it rest as much as possible. His arm also didn�t bother him much while he was doing things. I have a touch of CT which is normal with the other problems. I just wear a brace on each wrist at night and it helps so maybe you should check into that. My braces look like the one in the link here. Good luck to you and I hope you are better by the wedding. http://www.docortho.com/Orthopedic_S...xe_190424.html Rox
My husband was also having similar problems and he went and bought the braces at a local drugstore. It took a few weeks but his wrist/arms got much better by wearing the braces at night. (The first few weeks he would sometimes wear them during the day too.)
Good luck!
__________________ Debbie
I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end. - Margaret Thatcher
My mother had something that sounds similiar after hitting her hand on something and after she saw her doctor, they had discovered that a cyst had formed and she had to wear a brace for a few weeks until the cyst was better. Definitely see your doctor before it gets out of control. Keep us posted!
I also have problems with my right hand. My Dr. said it was tendonitis, which the way she explained it to me was what you get before carpal tunnel. I was told to wear the brace for a month. Well, I didn't wear it for a month. I wear it when on the computer(a little ackward) and after I use my hand alot(like cleaning) and if its really bad I wear it to bed. It feels alot better and it has helped my wrist.
Maybe try the brace if you don't want to go to the Dr. just yet. Hope you feel better soon.~~hugs~~
I don't know if you ever visit chiropractors, or if they are practically witch doctors to you. . . but we have a good one! :-) And when I was having pain in my right hand/arm, I asked her to check it out. She gave the bones in the top of my hand a sharp twist, and it immediately felt better. Then she asked if I had been pressing down hard with my wrist rotated. Bingo; I had just started stained glass a few weeks earlier and the glass scoring motion was to blame. Might be worth a try if you are so inclined to check a chiropractor out!
[QUOTE=Soozie4Him]I know I need to see a doctor, but I just wanted to ask you stampers and see if anyone can give me an idea about what else I can do for my problem. I'm having some pretty bad pain in the top of my right hand, which shoots down from up near my elbow. Sometimes it's just in my hand, sometimes my hand and forearm, and sometimes even in my upper arm. "
I have this too! Im sorry for you cuz I KNOW how bad it hurts!! Only, I think mine is from splitting the top of my right elbow bone (radial head) a year ago in a fall. I never had that pain before, but when I stamp, the pressure of pressing down is so painful EXACTLY where yours is!! I believe it could be from the Ulnar nerve(funny bone) cuz the pain seems to run along it up my arm (and its not funny!lol) I hope you can get it taken care of! Ask your doc if it could be from the Ulnar nerve, something pinching or aggravating it. I have to have surgery to have it "re-routed" .
Good luck!
Tandra
Sounds like Tennis Elbow (which is a type of tendonitis) and is from over use or repetitive injury, which the lamp shades would definitly do. Try one of thos cheap wrist splints you can get at the drug store and some OTC anti-inflammatories. And when you press down on your stamp make a fist and press down with the tops of your fingers not the heel of your hand.
GOOD LUCK!!!
I have carpal tunnel with symptoms that run up through my arm and into my shoulder. My doctor (the specialist) said that it can also cause problems up into your neck. The physical therapy that they gave me worked wonders and there are exercises with the giant rubber bands that can keep the symptoms at bay and minimize the aggravation of the condition. I sleep with my hand braces every night otherwise my hands will go numb and will wake me up. There are a few web sites that have the exercises listed so that you can try them to see if they help. I am a lot better now but if I don't take care of myself and do the exercises then I start to have problems again.
I to had this problem a few years ago...I had been stamping a lot!! My GP said it was the nerve in my arm being irritated from how I sat at the table while I stamped. I tended to set my arms on the edge of the table right below my elbow...the "funny bone" nerve runs along there ant it had become irritated and inflamed. I had lots of pain on the outer side of my arm and down into my hand...and sometimes my fingers would become numb and tingly. He told be to watch how I had my arms and maybe sit at a table with a different height...so my arms hit the table at a different spot. IT WORKED!! I changed the height of my chair...so I sat taller, and over time a week or so, I was all better!!
Sorry to hear about your pain! I would definitely seek the advice and treatment of a doctor. I had pain in my wrists, saw my doctor, and was told it was a specific type of tendonitis. There are many different types of tendonitis(which yours may or may not be), depending upon where the pain is(and so on), and knowing that can lead you to the best type of treatment for your pain. I know that using a supportive brace helped my pain and discomfort a great deal when my wrists were bothering me. It also helped me to limit my activities that were repetitive in nature using my wrists(typing, stamping, etc). I absolutely love my chiropractor, she is great! She has helped me numerous times when my wrists were bothering me. All she would do would take my wrist in her hand, feel for where my bones and joints were out of alignment, and "pop" it back into place. It didn't hurt or bother me at all. Hoping and believing you will feel better!
Alana
I agree with Debbie, try a chiropracter. I also had the same symtoms with my right hand and once he started adjusting my wrists and fingers, the problem stopped. I am also now more aware of repetitive motion and seat and keyboard height too. Good Luck!
__________________ Margaret Ryerson
SCS Member #2547
You gals are the best!! I'm so thankful I'm not the only one and I appreciate all your advice. I am wearing the wrist brace to bed for sure. Last night shortly after I wrote this, I got really queasy and thought for sure I'd be throwing up. The pain was just so awful... Don't know if that was why, but the same thing happened last Sunday night right after my daughter's bridal shower, which was a lot of work both physically and stress-wise (it all went great, by the way, and everyone loved the lampshades). But last Sunday I actually threw up! So I've got a weird stomach on top of it...
I'll be calling the ortothopedic guy this morning, and limiting my computer use (except for mousing w/ my left hand!), and if I can't get in quickly to the doctor, I'm calling the chiropractor.
This is such an important time - my last 4 weeks with my middle daughter at home. My youngest daughter just graduated from college and is looking for a teaching job (long story) and things are just nuts around here! My enjoyment comes from being here on SCS and stamping - and waiting for the new catty to arrive so I can give it to my customers.
Part of me is just so scared that I'll be in a lot of pain for the wedding!!
I feel for you. Sounds like you may have a few things going on. I have FM and I know how frustrating it is. There are so many other syndromes you can get with it. Mine acts up when I do repetitive things, so I always have to pace myself. And I hope you are getting enough sleep. Sleep and managing your stress are so key with FM. You have so much going on. Take care of yourself!
I've got tendonitis in my right wrist, and I get virtually the same symptons when I do a single motion for too long (and too long can vary from day to day). Ibuprofin can help, but make SURE you eat when you take it. Your liver will thank you. (And we all want happy livers.)
Stamping-related medical problem!!
