Hi all, new to group...advice needed.
I'm 40M with "carpal tunnel." 10 years ago, I was diagnosed and told
I needed surgery. I declined, quit my job (that was causing the
problem) and started something else. The problems all went away
quickly.
I started a new glass business about a year ago. This business has
required lots of drilling and using a screw gun to assemble and
install frames....lots of heavy lifting installing the glass, etc.
About 2 months ago, the old familiar problem came back.
I went to the DR and was again told to have the surgery. I declined
and have been using the wrist braces at night. That has helped the
night numbness. About 3 weeks ago, I started having problems on the
outside of my elbows....I guess the splints brought that on.
I hired a guy to help with the drilling and the lifting and now I
don't do this all day every day...only about twice a week for a few
hours. The more I do, the worse the hands are. Additionally, I have
developed a strain in the tendon from the back side of the wrist
into the thumb.
I now use ice at night and no wrist splints and only have problems
with numbness once in a while....only when I do lots of drilling
and/or lifting. The elbow thing and the sore tendon to the thumb
thing refuse to get better.
2 things really suck about it...1- The business isn't doing well
enough yet to hire another guy and get me completely out of doing
the things that aggravate the problem and 2- I work out alot and
have not been able to work my arms, chest or back since this problem
started. Legs, abs and cardio only. I'm losing muscle tone and I
don't like it.
Surgery seems like major BS to me...but I don't know what to do
about it. Prednisone does me way wrong and I can't take it. I'm
afraid I will cause the problems to be irreversible if I don't
change something and fast. Any advice?
Thanks, Dave