Fordracer Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I was curious how many of you have or know someone in this business that has carpal tunnel syndrome. I was just diagnosed with it a couple of months ago. I'm 47 and have been turing wrenches professionally since I was 19 so I guess that's alot of turned wrenches. I was told that it's common in the mechanic trade. I was telling a guy at work about it and he said he has the same symptoms I have but not as severe and he's only been a mechanic for 17 years. It started as a sharp pain in the palm and fingers of my right hand for a half hour in the middle of the night and my arms falling asleep if I sleep on my side. Then it progressed to every hour for a half hour during the night untill I got up in the morning and it would go away untill the next night. Needless to say I didn't get much sleep. The pain is like someone stabbing the palm of you hand with a knife. I'm lucky that it's not bothering me during the day so I can still work, hopefully it won't get any worse. It hasn't bothered me for 2 and a half months but it started acting up again a couple of nights ago. I thought I was pretty lucky not to have back,leg, or feet problems that alot of older mechanics have but sooner or later I guess something will get you if you keep abusing your body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneGorniak Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 My Uncle who is still a tech with his own shop had both hands operated on about four years ago for this. I too have the symptoms, but not very severe. So I take care of myself now and don't abuse my hands any more. Advise to the rest of ya'al: Don't use your hands as hammers, vices, clevices, etc. Take of yourselves before crap like Carpal Tunnel sets in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredsvt Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I have it, along with "trigger finger". I'm getting the release surgery for my finger next wednesday. I've dealt with the carpal for about 10 years now. Comes and goes in intensity, I had major problems sleeping for a while, but now that's subsided somewhat. I have more issues with temperature changes, the colder, the more my hands will fall asleep. Driving to work in the am, leads my left hand to die off while holding the wheel. Once I actually work, it all goes away till I stop for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjubain Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I was diagnosed with it about two years ago, they wanted to operate me right away, I was 37 then.I refused , I wanted to check for any other option, i have known several person that had the operation and some were very successfull and some had very bad result.I read a little bit on it and decided to see a physiotherapist for two months. It help a lot but my hands still fall a sleep, sometimes just holding my fork and eating. I hadsome kind of brace to my wrist that i would sleep with but it was too hot, i would wake up and my hands all sweaty.The key point is to stretch your arms, wrist and shoulders. I found it helps a lot.I just hope it doesn,t get worst.What i hate the most about it is when I drop something, I don,t even feel it spliping out of my hand.Also I stop complaining about to my wife, she says i should get operated. Good luck guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysonfordtech Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 The sleeping with wrist braces on helped me. I was never diag'd with it but had similar symptoms. I also learned not to do stupid things like slamming hubcaps on with the palms of my hands and the like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseldoc Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I havent been diag'd with it, but. . . . . I wake up at least once a night with one or both of my hands or arms asleep. When I get up in the morning sometimes I have to have the girlfriend open the toothpaste for me because I cant grip it enough to open it, or I have to run them under warm water for a while to get them to work. But usually by break in the morning they are working good. I have come to terms with back pain, since it hurts everyday. Just another wonderful perk of the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I have had my share of ailments over the years. I am happy to say my back has remained healthy for quite some time now after a few years of excruciating pain. I discovered that removing and installing tires from trucks was triggering it... I now remove and install lug nuts with the truck raised and lower it to the ground to remove and install them. This suggests to me that paying attention to how we do certain things will answer questions about the risks to our health. The topic of carpal tunnel syndrome is a common one in our profession as well. Not using our hands, particularly our palms as hammers is one of the biggest things we can remember. Smacking a wrench to loosen nuts and bolts can be particularly damaging to our hands. The shock from the pounding pneumatic tools deliver is also bad for our hands and wrists. Like many technicians I have developed large strong muscles in my forearms which is natural to have happen with the constant use of our hands. Because of the strength in my arms I have strained my wrists on several occasions my squeezing too hard while using pliers or side cutters. This causes tendinitis and can be very painful for several days to weeks. I am sure these occurrences contribute to long term damage. I don't have any real problems with my hands or wrists (pain) but in the last few years I have noticed that I am not as flexible as I used to be and my elbows and wrists tend to be a little stiff in the morning some days. I am sure that this is the tell-tale sign of things to come. If there are exercises or therapies we can use to mitigate the effects of our profession I am all ears. One thing I do know is that our own behaviors can have a great influence on our health and safety. Knowing about these dangers and learning ways to reduce the affects is something I don't think is discussed nearly enough. Perhaps we can raise a little awareness right here at the DTS... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I hear you about back pain, as I have also suffered with it my whole life. I will say my back has never felt as good since I sold the shop 5 years ago...... Regarding using your hand to bang a wrench, a friend of mine from IATN (Albin Moore) had surgery recently to repair a crushed artery from this move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysonfordtech Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 On the topic of protecting ourselves from the injuries that come from this business, I have noticed a lot of guys are not very good about using ear protection. The damage from the air tools we use is slow in showing and has struck every tech I have worked with over the age of 30 or so. How good are you guys about ear protection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastendpowerstroke Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 On the topic of protecting ourselves from the injuries that come from this business, I have noticed a lot of guys are not very good about using ear protection. The damage from the air tools we use is slow in showing and has struck every tech I have worked with over the age of 30 or so. How good are you guys about ear protection? WHAT!!!!!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I do a lot of tranny work and I bought a new impact that was quite a bit heavier, and ended up blowing out my shoulder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I only usually wear hearing protection when I'm soldering. There is ONE guy at my shop that wears hearing protection. Also, when shortbus was cutting a diff bracket off a frame with a fucking air hammer - he had no ear protection on, but the guy working beside him did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanik Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I don't have any real problems with my hands. Recently I have gotten this wierd pain at the base of the inside of my left wrist when my hand is over extended back too far. It's probably nothing and will go away on its own. If I am drilling a lot in one day, like if I'm drilling exaust studs out, the outside half of my hand will fall asleep for a few days. It will be all tingly and very uncomfortable. I think its from putting a lot of pressure on my palm and probably causing some swelling and doing something to a nerve. Keith, if your interested check out this book: CLICK HERE It is a book on Active Isolated Stretching. It is quite different form the old school static muscle stretches. The book covers different stretches for the entire body and there is a section that will tell you what stretches you should do for different sports and different jobs. I'm not saying that stretching will cure carpal tunnel, but I think it would be good maintnence. Another thing to keep in mind is muscle imbalances that we create from doing repetitive things at work. Like for instance if you have really strong ab muscles and weak lower back muscles, you will probably have lower back problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Thanks for the link. A bigger problem I have had is long term problems with my neck and subluxations leading to neck pain and numbness in my left arm. I actually lost feeling on the inner edges of my index and middle fingers which has slowly come back over the years. If I sleep or lay with my head in a bad position or stress my upper body at work I sometimes get a shooting pain in my shoulder and across my left pectoral muscle. Likely related to the same nerve. If it is not one thing its another! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanik Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Have you ever seen a chiropractor? It might be worth a try. A guy I work with was having neck problems. It turned out that it was from the way he tilted his nexk up when laying under the hood of trucks all day. When I used to see a chiro, there were a bunch of people that would be doing strength exercises for thier necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I used to see a chiropractor but my health insurance kept changing and began to be too expensive... wow! that sounds really fuckin stupid! I pay $7900 a year out of my paycheck for health insurance and I am afraid to use it because I cant afford the co-pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazie Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Ya got ya. The insurance buisness has us by the balls. Iy you would tally up all that we pay for insurance we could buy a small community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoWilimek Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Thanks for the link. A bigger problem I have had is long term problems with my neck and subluxations leading to neck pain and numbness in my left arm. I actually lost feeling on the inner edges of my index and middle fingers which has slowly come back over the years. If I sleep or lay with my head in a bad position or stress my upper body at work I sometimes get a shooting pain in my shoulder and across my left pectoral muscle. Likely related to the same nerve. If it is not one thing its another!I had something similar to that, that has finally gone away after over 3 years. My doctor suspected a pinched nerve in my neck due to repetitive looking up due to working under vehicles and started a workman's compensation file on it. It gradually abated after months of therapy and finally is gone almost entirely. I couldn't sleep on my left side at all for many months, and even now, I try to avoid sleeping on that side for very long as my shoulder aches on awakening if I have lain on it for an extended period of time. I also used to pound hubcaps on with my fists until I developed shooting pains in my wrists. I have been taking Glucosamine for the arthritis in my knees for several years now, due to repeated up/down cycles to put hoist arms under vehicles and only using a kneeling pad the last few. Now both middle fingers are getting stiff and sore due to being flexed too many times in the wrong direction(sideways). I think it's time to find a job that is easier on my body, as I want to stay active for many more years, however, in this economy and with my specialized job skills, that may be difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseldoc Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I get to work at 645 put my earplugs in at 655 and they dont come out until dinner, than back in until 5. I never used to wear them when I was younger, but have found that the noise of even a neighbors air tools hurt my ears. I am with you on the stretching keith. I used to not stretch before work and found that I was always sore or had some kind of ache or pain. I have gotten into the habit of stretching every morning while the computer boots up and it helps. Now I only get aches or pains when I get impatient and do something stupid. My thoughts have changed on several things now that I have gotten a little older. My opinion now is that my job beats the crap out of me, what can I do to fight back? It's always hard to break habits and change routines, But sometimes very well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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