Electromyogramme

[Frenchie]

Has anyone ever had this exam, that I have to have in hospital soon ..

Is it painful?

I ve read lots of things on the internet , but I'd like to know from maybe someone's experience on here.. thanks.

[La Vette]

Assuming it is the same as my doctor calls a er em jay (EMG) then I had one done a few weeks ago.  Before I bore you with my experience can you confirm we are talking about the same thing.  Mine was a test to check the nerve endings in my fingers as I am diabetic.  Also test for carpel tunnel syndrome.  It can be for other parts of the body.  Come back Frenchie and let me know or you can pm me if it gets personal.  By the way, it doesnt hurt.

[Frenchie]

Yes, it is the same .. I feel pins and needles in my hand and the doc wants to check different things.

He says he is sure it is a neurologic pb.

I feel better about it knowing it is not painful..

THANKS for your answer.

 

 

 

[La Vette]

I had mine done in the consultants surgery.  He put little sticky tabs on my arm - one near the elbow other near my fingers and connected the other end to his computer.  It sends a short buzzy little shock (just a twitch really) and does not hurt.  At the end of the test he put two very fine acupuncture type needles into the flesh between thumb and first finger but very little pain. Just a twinge.  So lots of twinges and twiches but no pain.  I had the results printed out within minutes (beginnings of carpel tunnel), cost 143 euros and given an ordnance for a wrist splint to wear in bed - very sexy.

Hope that eases your worries. 

[AnOther]

Frenchie, I used to suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome albeit some 20 years ago. The symptoms were tingling and numbness which was unevenly disributed over the hand. I can't remember exactly but one side of one finger could be numb but not the other and one or two fingers were not affected at all. It was often bad at night when it would wake me in the early hours and the only relief was to dangle it out of the bed to encourage bloodflow.

I wore a wrist support for a while but eventually had an operation on it which was untraumatic and completely successful. All I had to show afterwards was a plaster covering maybe 5 or 6 stiches and I was back to full use of the hand after maybe 3 weeks. No physio or anything was required.

I have a little of it in my other hand now too but it only comes on if I have been doing lots of manual work over several days (like now...!) but it's not sufficient a problem for me to seek any treatment for, so far !

I believe they also try to treat it with steroid injections which I'm told can be quite unpleasnt and usually only afford temporary relief plus there are other altenatives such as HERE but if it is CTS and you do have the option of an operation then I would seriously consider it as a permanant fix.

[Russethouse]

I had Carpel Tunnel Syndrome in both hands after the birth of my daughter , my thumbs used to 'lock' - I was supposed to have an op but postponed it when the surgeon said he wanted to operate on both hands at once. Perhaps he hadn't given it much thought - how could I have coped with a baby post op ? Anyhow the problem went away. (it can be hormone related)........now I have Dupuytrens Contacture instead......[:(][:'(]

 

[Frenchie]

I din't think it is Carpel tunnel syndrome in my case.. It does noit happen at night but rather during the day..

Mostly pins and needles in my left hand, sometimes a bit of aching in the forearm but it does not last ..........

A trapped nerve?  the worst , I don't want to think about it ..

he said he is sure it is neurologic..

 

[Frenchie]

I had the EMG exam on last monday and it is a carpian tunnel syndrome ,very severe on the left hand, they said ( though my symptoms are not that severe..) ; a,d also well started on the right hand.... [blink]

The doc in hospital said " madam, you have to consider an operation " ...  It will be the only way to get rid of it...

left hand first..

But as it is not painful, just disturbing pins and needles when I m driving for exalmple, I don"t really feel like going for the op .. well, not now at least, do you think there is any danger in waiting .?

I'm wondering, will ask my GP when I see him on wednesday..

How could I cope, being a single mom, with a son and a dog? [blink]

[tj]

[quote user="Frenchie"]

I had the EMG exam on last monday and it is a carpian tunnel syndrome ,very severe on the left hand, they said ( though my symptoms are not that severe..) ; a,d also well started on the right hand.... [blink]

The doc in hospital said " madam, you have to consider an operation " ...  It will be the only way to get rid of it...

left hand first..

But as it is not painful, just disturbing pins and needles when I m driving for exalmple, I don"t really feel like going for the op .. well, not now at least, do you think there is any danger in waiting .?

I'm wondering, will ask my GP when I see him on wednesday..

How could I cope, being a single mom, with a son and a dog? [blink]

[/quote]

Carpel tunnel is much more common in women than men, since the tunnel which protects the main nerve and several ligaments of the hand is generally smaller, the problem occurs when outside influences cause pressure around the area, diabetes and arthritis are commonly linked with it, also more so these days obesity.

Without surgery to widen the tunnel which actually is only a cut in the ligaments to free the nerve, it is done with local anaesthetic and as an out patient.

If you have not had the problem long, then you might try wearing splints across the back of your hands to keep the wrist still while the pressure from the swelling goes down,  even if its just at night, not ideal but as with other things like tennis elbow, they need complete rest to heal, for most people thats not realistic, but every little helps, took 2 years to get rid of mine.

Untreated, it wont go away and can lead to permanent loss of use of the limb, as it is you will be doing well if it recovers to 90%.

What you really need to know is the cause, if there is some other underlying cause it needs treating first,

[Iceni]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

It was often bad at night when it would wake me in the early hours and the only relief was to dangle it out of the bed to encourage bloodflow.

[/quote]

Well done Ern, this must be the winning contestant for both sentence and image of the year. I haven't smiled so much for ages.

Please don't think that I am laughing at your former affliction - I suffer from arthritis, frozen shoulder etc and from time to time enjoy relief in the manner described so eloquently.

John

 

 

[AnOther]

Don't know about eloquent John but pleased to have amused you [:)]

Frenchie, so I was right then, not that it gives me pleasure to say it.

I tried all the splints and wrist supports but they offered very little relief and were a damn nuisance for someone like myself who works with his hands all day every day so I do think the operation is the way to go as anything else will only be a delaying tactic. It shouldn't handicap or impede you for too long afterwards. .

When I had mine done I went in overnight and when released the next day the only thing I had to show for it was a sticking plaster covering what was about a 20-25cm stitched incision and although the hand was a bit weak for the first few days I quickly recovered full strength. Importantly, apart from some initial aching, there was no other pain or discomfort.

I hadn't realised you were a single mum but I'm sure you must have friends who could give you a hand ([Www]) with the bambino and pooch for the few days it might be neccessary.

Best of luck anyway with whatever you choose to do.

 

[Frenchie]

Merci Ernie..

Yeah I will have the op I think, maybe this summer; while I'm not in school..

( I'm a teacher)

Of course I have friends thank God, a friend has offered me to stay at her place for a week after the op but she can't have the dog so I refused..

I will sort this out..

Did yopu have it done with a local anesthesia?

[AnOther]

Way to go...................[:D]

Mine was done under a general, hence the overnight stay, enema included, but remember, this was 20 years ago so procedures may have changed radically, it may even be a keyhole day surgery job now. I'm sure your doctor can advise you.

Bon courage [kiss]

 

[Frenchie]

Merci!

Anything I can have local I do !

Had an op on my left leg two years ago, local aenesthesia, was OK.

No, key hole surgery for Carpian tunnel does not give good result they said.

Anyway,

thanks , [kiss]

 

[Chancer]

I dont know whether I am shocked or relieved to have read this post because I have been suffering from a similar thing for a few months now, usually at night but the other day on the computer (heaven forbid!)

Whenever I sleep on my side, no matter which, I wake up with a loss of feeling and pins and needles in that hand, it is pretty much all the time now.

On the computer it was not long after getting up so was probably a continuation of the night-time problem, the rare times I get it during the day is if  I grip a tool too hard for an extended period or am whacking a cold chisel with a club hammer.

Also now I remember that it always used to occur if I read a book in the bath whereby my elbows would be resting on the side, I only have a shower to use now.

Does this sound familiar?

What is the ailment called in France?

[Frenchie]

Hello, yes, it all sounds very familiar to me, except that in my case, the pins and needles , + numbness happen mainly during the day, but it seems "my" carpian tunnel syndrome is atypical from that point of view..

Usually it seems it is something that occurs mainly at night ...

I feel it when I'm driving, holding the wheel, for instance,  or on the computer, or when I rest on my elbow...

So, basically, what you wrote seems very familiar to me...

In French it is called " syndrome du canal carpien"

Don't worry too much, it seems it is very common..      Regards, Régine. 

[AnOther]

Yes, all very familiar and you're right JR that over using the hand will often exacerbate it.

I think it's partially to do with muscle build because even after just a few hours of hard work the wrist muscles can develop sufficiently to put pressure on the nerves and blood vessels.

Although I'm almost 100% ambidextrous (but I still can't write legibly with either hand) when it comes to strength and grip I favour the left and this is the wrist I had operated on. I've also had a bit of it in my right wrist for a few years but it's mild and takes a good 2 or 3 days of real graft to manifest itself so hopefully that will not develop into a more acute case. It's a great excuse for not getting heavy jobs done.

More pertinent to you of course JR but a peek at THIS thread may help you come to terms with the ailment and put it into perspective [+o(]

My next appointment is in 12 days time [blink]

 

[Russethouse]

When I had it I was told it was to do with hormonal changes (caused by pregnancy) I wonder if the 'middle years' have the same effect?

[Frenchie]

In my case they haven't found the reason, and I haven't had the " change" yet..

[Chancer]

Just an update on my CTS, having had it confirmed on my last visit I saw the specialist today and have had a cortisone treatment on the left hand first, she thought that way I would be able to drive home and was initially perplexed when I explained that I usually changed gear with my left hand but would manage!

Frenchie it was no more painfull than a prise de sang but I have to keep the wrist immobilised in a splint for 4 days, realistically whilst I cannot carry on with my building work I can still do most things with my right hand and limited finger movement in the left one, sorry I have  just realised that you are going to have the surgery, I may well have to as well if this does not bring relief.

I want to thank those who have posted on this subject, but for the info on his forum I would have never had realised what the problem was and continued to grin and bear it like a typical weak bloke without ever going to the doctor.

Once I realised what all the symptoms were I then realised that I have been suffering from it and continuing to damage the nerves for over 15 years, I even have a close friend that has had the operation but she told me she suffered from repetititive strain syndrome caused by her work (checkout girl at tesco's) but never went into the details of her suffering - typical strong woman!