question

rellypoo
By rellypoo Latest Reply at January 28 at 3:40 pm
Started January 22 at 3:59 am

Hello everybody, does anyone know if carpal tunnel syndrome and neuropathy in the hands and fingers are the same thing?

Tags: information neuropathy hands carpal tunnel diabetes complications

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23 replies

CarltonS
CarltonS January 28 at 3:40 pm Report

Well I personally don't think so, but it does have one thing in common. Slow reaction time to pain. I had carpal syndrome in my left hand from work and my right from a electrical shock of 277 volts. They operated on my left hand but it still bothers me some times. I did not have it done to my right hand so I still have it. Now I had my Neurologist check for Neuropathy and he said I do have it as peripheral, effecting all my extremities. So for what it is worth I think the two are different in one way, you can have an operation for carpal tunnel but not for the other that I know of. Hope this helps you.

Type1Lou
Type1Lou January 23 at 9:07 am Report

Hi Narelle! As others have noted, Carpal tunnel and Neuropathy are generally considered two different conditions. I was operated on for Carpal tunnel on both hands 5 or 6 years ago. Both conditions are nerve-related. In carpal tunnel, the nerve affected is pinched by the narrowing of the carpal tunnel in your wrist. The affected nerve travels through the carpal tunnel on its way into your hand from your arm. The pinching results in the tingling and pain experienced in your fingers. Repetitive motion may cause the narrowing of the carpal tunnel. Neuropathy is the term applied to nerve damage. It is a frequent complication experienced in diabetics with high BG levels being a strong contributing factor. I wonder, though, whether diabetic peripheral neuropathy might not result in or contribute to a carpal tunnel problem???? Yours is a good question. Somebody with a medical background (not I) is better suited to to address this. I hope we get more input.
Lou

HeidiLynne
HeidiLynne January 23 at 10:45 am Report

I had carpal tunnel 30 some years ago and I feel it's back along with trigger finger and ganglain cycts!!

rellypoo
rellypoo January 23 at 2:18 pm Report

what is trigger finger?

jayabee52
jayabee52 January 23 at 6:49 pm Report

you didn't fall for the "stenosing tenosynovitis " explanation? I guess once bit twice shy!

Of course I didn't really give you a chance to take the whole hook, line and sinker when I followed it up with an LoL immediately.

Just Joyce
Just Joyce January 22 at 11:48 am Report

No they are two different problems. I have had carpel tunnel and for me it hurt worse than neuropathy. I don't have neuropathy in my hands. Once I stopped repetitive actions with my wrist I don't have a problem with carpel tunnel.

Talk to your doctor he can give you help with both.

Gabby
GabbyPA January 22 at 10:33 am Report

They have similar symptoms, but true neuropathy is caused by different things that carpal tunnel. Carpal tunnel is the repetitive motion of your hands or fingers that cause your connecting nerves to suffer. Neuropathy is cased by a more direct attack on the nerves. In the case of diabetics, it can be caused by the glucose in our blood stream damaging our smallest delivery systems to things like our capillaries and nerves.

HeidiLynne
HeidiLynne January 24 at 8:48 am Report

Trigger finger is a common ailment of diabetes (what isn't?) Its when one of
your fingers stiffen to the point where you can NOT bend it without severe
pain! That also, is why I am not on this site as often as I would like.

re1ndeer
re1ndeer January 22 at 8:06 am Report

Yes, they are. Here is an article to explain it : https://www.foundationforpn.org/livingwithper...

Hope this helps.

Type1Lou
Type1Lou January 23 at 1:48 pm Report

Thank you for posting this excellent article which I should have read before my earlier reply today. Per the article, CTS is a localized form of peripheral neuropathy. After wearing a wrist brace to keep my wrist immobile and in the correct position at night, I opted for the surgery. I was lucky enough to have it done by a doctor at Dartmouth-Hitchcock who specialized in hand surgery (Dr Caroline Kerrigan). I believe she pioneered a micro-surgical approach to CTS release which resulted in a tiny (less than 1/2 inch incision) in each wrist rather than the more traditional incision across the palm of the hand. This, in turn also cut the recovery time by about 2/3's. I have had no recurrence of the symptoms, so far and no scar to show for it.

Gabby
GabbyPA January 22 at 10:36 am Report

This is a great article on carpal tunnel syndrome. One thing that I was taught to combat it is to sleep at night hugging a pillow so that your hand is in the opposite position it is in all day as we work on computers. It helped me immensely and while I don't suffer with carpal tunnel any longer, I keep the habit of curling my wrist up and around my pillow at night.

Just Joyce
Just Joyce January 22 at 11:50 am Report

That didn't work for me. My doctor told me to try that. I ended up having to have a cast made of my hand, wrist and half of my arm to sleep in. This helped me immensely. I no longer have a problem with carpel tunnel.

rellypoo
rellypoo January 22 at 4:00 am Report

sorry bout that same thing is what I meant

jayabee52
jayabee52 January 22 at 1:44 pm Report

no, men and women can get C T Not just "dames" LoL!

rellypoo
rellypoo January 22 at 3:04 pm Report

good one james, thankyou for all your replies, I have had carpal tunnel operation on both wrists, but I have same pain back again so I didnt know wheather it could come back or it was something else

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