Waiting to see doctor, what to do about work? Posted by barbaryloki - 2008/09/22 16:28 About two months ago, I noticed that if I drove longer than 30 minutes at a time, the last two fingers of my left hand would go numb. Typically, the sensation would return after about 30 min - an hour. It started to happen with greater and greater frequency and for slightly longer periods of time. About a week ago (last Wed night) my fingers went numb and DIDN'T wake up... they stayed that way through Friday, and I started to experience pain in addition to the numbness (around my elbow and in my fingers.) I work at Home Depot in the paint department, and the pain became so intense I had to leave. When I tried to lift paint or move stock, I would experience a burning sensation from my elbow up through my fingers, and lose feeling in the fingers. I bought a wrist brace at CVS which I have been wearing ever since. I notice that in the mornings, (I wear the brace at night and have been wrapping a towel around my elbow to keep from bending it) I feel best. I have more sensation in my fingers and there is usually never pain. But as the day progresses, the pain comes back and the hand goes numb. I am a musician and a student as well; the idea of possibly losing use of my hand terrifies me (because it is of course the hand I play all of my instruments with!!) I am off the schedule at work until Thursday. I have an appt with an orthopedic clinic on Oct. 2nd (the soonest they can get me in). I don't know what to do until then! I don't want to damage my hand any further and the pain is terrible, but I can't afford to miss much more work! I am in a quandry. Also, my employers are very skeptical. Any advice? Posted by BrendaB - 2008/09/22 16:37 Howdy barbaryloki and welcome aboard!!! It sounds like you are getting into the Cubital symptoms due to some continuous repetitive actions/movements. It sounds like you are trying hard to give your arm a break already. If it is possible, can you switch hands for picking up merchandise to move and such? Stretching your arm and flexing your fingers up and down might help a bit. As for the musical side, I only play a bit (amateur) keyboard, but if you are having problems, until you see your doctor, (I know this sucks), stop doing it for now. Give your arm a break. Hopefully they can give you some gentle physical therapy and get you back on track, as it sounds like you are still on a road of return without surgery. Good luck and keep all of us posted please. 1 / 7
Posted by timm - 2008/09/23 12:54 Hi barbaryloki, Time to play detective and try to figure out what activity(ies) are causing your cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS). Sleeping on bent elbows, leaning on your elbow, using the computer, playing sports, playing a musical instrument, and long distance driving are all potential causes, along with injury and cysts. If you can start to understand the root cause, you can take steps to begin conservative treatment and reverse the damage that's occurring to your ulnar nerve. CuTS is a tricky problem with employers, friends and family because it can cause severe pain and weakness for the patient while exhibiting no outward visible signs. As a result, some may believe you are faking it or overreacting. Even your doctor may question your sincerity if the initial EMG/NCV tests come back negative, which is often the case. The best thing to do is educate those around you with medical information from this site and others. CuTS is most definitely real and has serious effects on the patient, so be persistent and don't give up until your symptoms are finally fixed. Good luck with your appointment. Please stop back and let us know how it went. Posted by BrendaB - 2008/09/23 17:49 barbaryloki, I fully agree with Timm's assessment. I think if I remember right, it was around 4 visits to my doctor before he realized that there was a definite issue. He sees so many patients, hence he only gave me a "glancing blow" initially. I didn't even give it much seriousness until one day on the range when I went to do a "magazine exchange" and I dropped the damn thing! It fully hit that I wasn't imagining that my fingers were becoming "fumble fingers" on manipulating things!!! Our bodies are great at telling us things are wrong - example, I had an abdominal tumor that I "internally" - in my brain knew something was wrong, but didn't acknowledge it until I collapsed at home. Your body is telling you that you are heading down a path that is a bad time for your Ulnar nerve. Like Timm said, co-workers, employers etc. might not think you are "for real" when you tell them that you are numb or are hurting. Unless they can directly relate to what you are going it, it won't be "real" to them. Good luck with your next check up, hopefully he/she will give you some improvement options. Take care.barbaryloki Posted by simodo - 2008/09/24 13:23 barbaryloki, do you have any idea what's causing your problems? Since you feel best in the morning, but symptoms return while you're doing your job, that seems to point the finger at your work at Home Depot. Specifically what part of your job causes you pain? Just lifting items usually is not a cause for 2 / 7
CuTS. There must be something else? Posted by barbaryloki - 2008/09/25 17:25 I tried to write a response and my connection timed out, so it all got lost. The gist of it was this. I have an EMG on Monday. I have regained some of the sensation in my fingers (as long as I keep my wrist in the rigid brace and don't use it.) They are starting to get stiff/non-responsive and have a tendency to curl more than normal. I can still fully extend them, but they start to get tingly and it hurts down my arm. Performing just about any activity (typing, driving, playing music) for more than about 5 minutes causes the numbness/burning to return. Since Friday, I have stopped playing my instruments and lifting weights. I try to limit my driving and my time on the computer. Today (at 4) I go back to work. My job has a lot of repetitive lifting and moving of heavy merchandise, as well as typing and operating levers and machines. I expect it to be frustrating because almost everything I do requires two hands. On Friday when I got to work, my hand was already numb; by the time I left, the numbness had spread down to my elbow and there was pain as well. I don't know what specifically caused it. I had been front-facing merchandise and mixing paint (which involves going to get the cans off the shelve and carrying them to the counter, putting them under the dispenser, closing the lid with a hammer or a lever-machine and placing them in a shaker.) I also discovered this weekend (unintentionally) that my elbow hyper-extends. This makes me think I must have injured it somehow, but I don't recall getting hurt. Posted by barbaryloki - 2008/09/25 18:16 Also, has anyone had any experience dealing with employers? I work for home depot and when I first talked to my manager, he said "I've never heard of that. Hmph." Very dismissive. I figure until I talk to my doctor it's too soon to consider anything like short term disability. My arm is already numb and hurting pretty bad today, and I know if I go to work I'll be useless; I feel dishonest, being on the clock and not being able to work. On the other hand, I can't afford not to work right now. :( 3 / 7
Posted by BrendaB - 2008/09/25 18:30 Howdy barbaryloki, I am with the government, and a supervisor. I ran into the similar "deer in the headlights look" when I told my Director what I was going through. I gave him a printout of a website that visually describes Ulnar issues, and that seemed to make him understand. As a matter of fact, he was very cool with the surgery and time off after that. I have an idea what caused the problem in my wrist and hand, but still have no clue as to why the elbow got involved. As I have stated in other posts, I don't even know if I am re-aggravating it now!! The palm side of my pinkie is still an issue at 5 months post surgical, but I can type and such again, and much of the strength has returned. What might help with your supervisors is if you try to compare Carpal and Cubital. Just explain to them that there are various activities that cause both to occur. *Most* employers will work with you once they have the full picture. Your patience will become their understanding and patience. Hope this helps - take care. Posted by barbaryloki - 2008/09/25 19:37 I also talked to my lawyer earlier today, and he said Home Depot is obligated to offer me light-duty work if it is available, so I'm going to do that until I get in to see the doctor. Sigh. Posted by BrendaB - 2008/09/26 17:06 barbaryloki wrote: I also talked to my lawyer earlier today, and he said Home Depot is obligated to offer me light-duty work if it is available, so I'm going to do that until I get in to see the doctor. Sigh. Barbaryloki, That makes perfect sense! With what you described of what you do on a day to day basis, workers comp along with light duty should be something that can be easily validated. Most of the Home Depot's here in South Florida seem to treat their people pretty well. Hopefully you are at one of those. Glad to see you have a lawyer to help you through this. Keep us all posted, as the civilian side of the work force is not as easily defined on how their employees are treated. Take care. Posted by barbaryloki - 2008/09/29 20:21 4 / 7
Ok... I am going in for my EMG and Nerve conduction test in about thirty minutes. Work won't authorize a light duty assignment until I've seen the doctor, so I've taken off this week until I can get in. Wish me luck! I have a horn concert in two weeks, too. Posted by DJ - 2008/09/30 12:15 How did it go? I kept my fingers crossed for you B) Posted by barbaryloki - 2008/10/01 16:25 Well... the test was really weird, first of all. I giggled a lot, which is apparently an unusual response. The good news is the nerve does not appear to be damaged (but it is definitely irritated, according to the testing doctor. Numbness has extended down to the heel of my hand, and occasionally on my forearm just past the elbow.) He suspects I have medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow), which would definitely explain the pain. I have my appointment with my actual orthopedic specialist tomorrow, and I'm taking lots of questions with me. Posted by BrendaB - 2008/10/03 21:41 Howdy barbaryloki, I too giggled when I had my EMG - basically a few times asking, "is that all you got?" I am also licensed as a journeyman electrician and have been zapped a lot harder than that test! Snicker... I hope your appointment goes well and answers your questions. Keep us updated...:-) 5 / 7
Posted by barbaryloki - 2008/10/06 20:33 Ok... I had a slight hang-up with worker's comp stuff, but finally got in to see a treating doctor. He said I looked like a classic case of cubital tunnel. He prescribed me an anti-inflammatory medicine, requested I be put on light duty at work, and I have a follow up appointment on Thursday (by which time he will hopefully have my test results.) In the meantime, the medicine is helping with the pain. The numbness has subsided a bit. I am starting to notice a marked decrease in grip strength in my left hand... and often, I get the feeling that the left side of my hand is getting really hot, like it's burning inside. Does that sound familiar to anyone? Posted by BrendaB - 2008/10/07 16:25 barbaryloki wrote: In the meantime, the medicine is helping with the pain. The numbness has subsided a bit. I am starting to notice a marked decrease in grip strength in my left hand... and often, I get the feeling that the left side of my hand is getting really hot, like it's burning inside. Does that sound familiar to anyone? Pretty cool! Most folks don't see much relief with meds, so that is a good thing for you. I am glad to see the workers comp is getting worked through on a positive side for you as well. :-) Pain/hot? No, not me. If anything my heal side of my hand would feel cold! Not only in it just feeling cold internally, but to the touch as well. I could feel an obvious difference between the temps in my hands - but cold for me, not warm or hot. Odd... Hopefully that will be short lived Barbaryloki. Chat again soon. Posted by DJ - 2008/10/08 12:31 QUOTE: In the meantime, the medicine is helping with the pain. The numbness has subsided a bit. I am starting to notice a marked decrease in grip strength in my left hand... and often, I get the feeling that the left side of my hand is getting really hot, like it's burning inside. Does that sound familiar to anyone? Oh yes, that sounds exactly like what I have but only reversed ;) I mean that I have it in my right hand, 6 / 7
so in my case the right side (closest to the pinky) has a burny, sharp sensation on touch. Like there is a little piece of glass stuck in there (only when put pressure on, like with using a mouse or writing. Also pink and ringfinger are sensitive to cold, not to heat. Especially cold air is painfull and it feels like it s winter allready. I even seem less sensitive to heat (don t feel it as much as the other fingers.) As for relief with meds, it only helps to reduce the tingely sensation in the fingers, not really for pain tbh. I use Paracetamol 8x 500mg a day. Greets, DJ Posted by BrendaB - 2008/10/08 16:11 Speaking of cold DJ, That is where I really KNEW something was wrong. Here in South Florida, it doesn't get cold that often, but last February, we got down in the 50's - my hand was virtually useless after a short time outside in those temps!!! I could barely spread my fingers, and they didn't function worth a damn. That alone was major freaky/scary. External temperature effects are a big clue to problems!!!! 7 / 7