Do I have Carpel Tunnel Syndrome?!
Question: Do I have Carpel Tunnel Syndrome?
I'm 16
I play guitar
I am on my computer a lot (use a normal keyboard)
My index, middle, and ring finger on my left hand are very stiff and a little numb all the time. I can't move them very fast at all. They can be painful. I can crack my index and middle without delay by twisting them together (i don't try to).
This has been active for a good year or two now.
All I really want to do is play guitar well, but my fingers are slowing me down. It's not that I don't practice either. Do I have Carpel Tunnel? If not, any idea what I have? Any idea how to treat this?
Answers:
Legal, it is possible that you have carpal tunnel problems but there are also a number of other things that could cause this. Try this to see if the median nerve is irritated. Keep your left wrist straight and using the right index finger tap this finger at the middle of the wrist. Do this a few times. If you feel an electrical shock going into those fingers chances are you may have carpal tunnel. Then do the same on the right wrist. Another possibility is that your neck is causing you the problem. Take an objective look at your posture or have someone else look at you. If your posture is not good it could also create this problem as the nerves for the arm come from the neck. There is another possibility that the nerve is also trapped at the elbow level. The nerve wraps around the top of the elbow and passes under a ligament. This ligament, ligament of Struthers, can cause pressure on the nerve also causing problems. What I suggest to you at this point is to make sure that your posture is spot on all of the time. Get wrist cock up splints for the wrist or wrists that are bothering you. Make sure that they are specific to the size of your wrist and to side not universal. Wear them when you sleep. They will take the stress off the wrists. You must wear them every night. If this doesn't help see your family doctor.
physical therapist