Carpal Tunnel Syndrome...

bassmann50 · #1 08-31-2006, 05:22 PM

I have been playing bass for 18 years and lately I have been having a sharp pain in my fretting hand wrist. Sometimes after a long gig it feels like my wrist is broken (even though Im sure it isnt) I also have been developing a small bump in the center top portion of my wrist which is painful as heck.

I realize that this is not a MD forum but I thought many others have experienced this and may have some suggestions. As of now I just take it easy for a few days after a gig to let me wrist rest.

tim oconnor · #2 08-31-2006, 07:14 PM

What you are experiencing sounds nothing like the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I had the typical symptoms of CTS which start out w/tingling numbing pain in the hands that worsened over time. It's caused by restricting the median nerve (w/in the carpal tunnel in the underside of your wrist) from prolonged repetitive motion.

The bump on top of your wrist seems to be something else altogether. While my experience was extremely painful, it was never a sharp pain as you mentioned, in the end, just prior to surgery the pain was more like someone beat my hands w/a baseball bat.

You may wanna get that checked out but I'd be surprised if a Dr. even considered it to be CTS.

Good luck w/it.

EBMatt · #3 08-31-2006, 07:15 PM

Maybe arthritis?

Shakehandswbeef · #4 08-31-2006, 09:15 PM

I'm no doctor, but that's not CTS. As someone who has it, find that bass playing actually helps relieve the pain.

bassmann50 · #5 08-31-2006, 09:23 PM

Thanks gents, Ill go see my Doc.

gottawalk · #6 08-31-2006, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EBMatt

Maybe arthritis?

I've been developing ostioarthitis in both thumb joints, and it works it's way into the wrist when the nerves are inflamed, but your "bump" may be some type of cyst. Check out this site.
http://www.medicinenet.com/cysts/article.htm
I knew a girl in High School that had one on her wrist and had an operation to take care of it and, (of course), she was really shy because of the scar. (vain!) Nice girl, though, and I was glad it didn't take much to take care of the problem. Have a doctor look at it and get it taken care of before it gets worse!

mactac · #7 08-31-2006, 09:36 PM

ok, i have exactly what you describe. I've had it for about 2 yrs & it's getting worse & worse. I have to take 4 ibuprofen now before I play (which helps a LOT actually because anything more than 2 ibus act as an anti-inflammatory)

I've been to the doctor & he tells me it's a ganglion. some sort of wrist trauma happened at one point, which ruptured the sheath holding my wrist together & the fluid is herniated through a teeny tiny hole. the bump has gradually gotten bigger over time (but he says that sometimes they don't)

it's gotten so bad that just using a screwdrivier or typing this post is painful.

anyways, there are a few solutions:

1. leave it. sometimes they go away.
2. hit it with a bible. really... (well the bible part is the old wives tale part but...) many people just hammer it with a book & it "unherniates". really. even the doc didn't seem to think it was all that bad an idea... anyways, i'd never do this but some people do
3. surgery. they go in & lop off the ganglion. he said it's about 80% successful usually.

I go in for surgery on oct 4th - shoot me an email to remind me & i'll update you (& this thread) on how it went.

I'm a bit worried about my playing afterwards.. just becasue i've had really bad luck with surgeries, but i'm hopeful. If the problem doesn't get sorted out, my playing days are numbered.... unless maybe i start using a pick :/

duo8675309 · #8 08-31-2006, 09:41 PM

I feel bad for getting off topic, but does popping your knuckles do any real harm? Also whenever my hands are slightly cold I can't hardly play.

bassmann50 · #9 09-01-2006, 08:32 AM

Thanks for the info guys. MACTAC I went to the lead from GOTTAWALK and searched for GANGLION and they are saying that they arent painful but mine feels like I have a broken wrist and hurts like a ba*tard.

http://www.medicinenet.com/ganglion/article.htm

bassmann50 · #10 09-01-2006, 08:39 AM

javascript:PopupLink('../health_guide_atoz/tp12456.asp');

You can see a PIC of what we are describing above...

http://www.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/tw1631.asp

BrandonBass · #11 09-01-2006, 08:46 AM

stop playing man, and massage your wrist with your right hand. wrapping it with ice can help deal with inflammation too

mactac · #12 09-01-2006, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassmann50

Thanks for the info guys. MACTAC I went to the lead from GOTTAWALK and searched for GANGLION and they are saying that they arent painful but mine feels like I have a broken wrist and hurts like a ba*tard.

http://www.medicinenet.com/ganglion/article.htm

well, they are wrong. mine hurts so much i can hardly play. it started off not hurting. i think it all depends on where it is... my it on the back of my wrist (up a bit higher actually close to the back of my hand) , right under the end of the tendon going to my index finger

the surgeon said that they often hurt & that is the reason they end up treating them. if ti doesn't hurt, they usually don't treat it.

gottawalk · #13 09-01-2006, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mactac

well, they are wrong. mine hurts so much i can hardly play. it started off not hurting. i think it all depends on where it is... my it on the back of my wrist (up a bit higher actually close to the back of my hand) , right under the end of the tendon going to my index finger

the surgeon said that they often hurt & that is the reason they end up treating them. if ti doesn't hurt, they usually don't treat it.

Yeah, I can't imagine it NOT hurting, especially if it's anywhere near any nerve bundles. Go see a Dr. and get it checked out. Leave it and it'll get nothing but worse and maybe you'll lose your playing ability altogether. I know that I'd be really PISSED if I couldn't play anymore! Good luck!

greg · #14 09-02-2006, 05:27 PM

I just found out recently that i have carpal tunnel. I have some of the same things you do, except the bump in your wrist, that sounds like something entirely different. When i start playing my left arm gets kind of numb and my left hand sort of locks inward making it extremely hard and painful to play.

mikemulcahy · #15 09-02-2006, 06:14 PM

I would go with a ganglion cyst, hard to tell without eyeballing it. Smacking it hurts like hell but sometimes helps, even surgical intervention is no guarantee.

Mike

edobtyr · #16 08-28-2008, 02:33 AM

Hi,
according to your descriptions I have a ganglion at the top of my right hand's wrist as well. Appeared just a couple of days ago suddenly.
Since I have been playing for more than 16 yrs and working hard with computer mouse everyday

- no surprise. Hope it will go away soon

Woody

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassmann50

I have been playing bass for 18 years and lately I have been having a sharp pain in my fretting hand wrist. Sometimes after a long gig it feels like my wrist is broken (even though Im sure it isnt) I also have been developing a small bump in the center top portion of my wrist which is painful as heck.

I realize that this is not a MD forum but I thought many others have experienced this and may have some suggestions. As of now I just take it easy for a few days after a gig to let me wrist rest.

mactac · #17 08-28-2008, 11:06 AM

Update:

Had the surgery. result:

1. very large scar on my hand that will likely remain

2. bump is still there, wrist still painful

SelenaBassGirl · #18 08-28-2008, 11:12 AM

mine hurts on certain songs that I constantly use my index and pinky fingers..I feel it between my thumb and index finger to my wrist..it hurts...I get the tingling in my fingers every now and then. Playing bass seemed to have helped me a lot..just in certain songs I am biting my bottom lip b/c it hurts!