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Carpel Tunnel

Funky_MimizuFunky_Mimizu 631 Posts
edited January 2007 in Strut Central
Who's got this shit, and how do you deal with it?I've been working a masonry job, for a couple months, and a couple weeks into it, my fingertips started going numb. Feels like my hands are kinda asleep 24 hours a day. Anyhow, thought it would go away, but its only gotten worse. Now I get like the funny bone sensation in my wrists when I am pulling blocks. Anyhow, after reading up on carpel tunnel, sounds like thats what it is.I got no medical insurance, so can anyone give me some tips for dealing with this shit?Thanks in advance.Peace...FNM

  Comments

  • DjArcadianDjArcadian 3,632 Posts
    If it's job related you can get on disability and workers comp will cover medical. You don't even need permission from your employer to see the doctor. Just tell the doctor it's work related. Your boss will find out and probably won't like it but it's not worth having fucked up hands the rest of your life.
  • twoplytwoply Only Built 4 Manzanita Links 2,914 Posts
    Quit your job, or if possible get transferred to a different position. Years ago I worked on a printing press, stacking posters w/ UV coating. I had to grab a bunch and twist to get air between each sheet, and those fuckers come off the press fast. After four months I got tendinitis pretty bad and had to move to a different department. You never fully heal from these things, meaning you'll always be at risk of easily re-aggravating them in the future. That's probably not worth what you're getting paid.
  • Funky_MimizuFunky_Mimizu 631 Posts
    Yeah, I talked to my boss... and he said that I probably couldn't get workmans comp because carpel tunnel is a cumulative thing... If it happened to me quickly, while others work in masonry for 50 years without getting it, that means there were probably other problems contributing, the masonry was the last straw.

    Anyhow, I know it ain't worth it, but I am too fucking broke to quit. There are no job prospects where I currently am, and I am stuck here for a while with an apartment lease.

    Its not a situation I'm happy with.

    Thanks for the advice.

    Peace...
    FNM
  • DjArcadianDjArcadian 3,632 Posts
    Yeah, I talked to my boss... and he said that I probably couldn't get workmans comp because carpel tunnel is a cumulative thing... If it happened to me quickly, while others work in masonry for 50 years without getting it, that means there were probably other problems contributing, the masonry was the last straw.

    Is your boss a doctor? No, so why are you listening to him?

    See a doctor, tell them it's work related. Workers comp is not a privilege. It's a right. It's as simple as that. Trust me, I do admin at my company and I process all the paperwork that comes through on workers comp claims. Some minor, some a little more major. Even dealt with a carpel tunnel case. The doctor won't necessarily tell you to stop working but he may be able to give you medication, maybe a hand brace or he could otherwise advise you on what to do.

    Carpel tunnel isn't something that can be traced to one single incident. You simply tell your doctor your arms were fine before you started this job but now they're numb and hurt. If the doctor advises you to stop working you get disability. It may not pay as much but it might give you some opportunity to look for a new career. You might also be able to get unemployment while you're on disability. I'm not sure though.

    The reason companies don't want people to use workers comp is because it effects their modification rate which will increase the amount they have to pay in workers comp fees. Construction companies already pay A LOT in workers comp fees because it's such a high risk industry. Lots of people get hurt.

    Do yourself a favor. See the doctor, get some tests done, listen to his advice and then make a decision.
  • motown67motown67 4,513 Posts
    When I was going to grad school I worked at my friend's parents place doing data entry. I type over a 100 words a minute and spent most of the day typing in orders. I got carpel really bad. So bad that I would go home after work and have these pains up and down my arms. It felt sort of like wires were going up and down my blood vessels. They got me a pad and a wrist thing and told me to take more breaks, but nothing really helped. The only thing to do is STOP doing your work. That's really the only cure.
  • john_doejohn_doe 237 Posts
    Who's got this shit, and how do you deal with it?


    I had carpal tunnel syndrome earlier this year, it was a weird feeling, like crazy numbness (not painful though) from my wrist up to my shoulder. I could barely hold a pen much less sign my initials on anything. After the second day, when I still couldn't hold a pen, I saw my doctor and he gave me one of those wrist braces with the metal splint, told me to keep it on for two to three weeks and make sure I wore it when I slept (to keep the wrist immobilized and reduce the risk of sleeping in a position that could put pressure on the median nerve.) He also gave me some medication, can't remember what it was he prescribed. I limited my time online at home, I used one of those gelpads at work for my mouse, and I didn't do any scratching for that time. And I made sure I wore that wrist splint. It cleared up after about 4-5 weeks. I recommend the wrist splint, I could tell a difference after a few days.

    Funny side note: When I met with the doctor, he asked me about my hand use, "Do you play an instrument?" I said, "No, but I DJ." He gave me a blank look. I told him "Well, sometimes the movements are similar to piano movements or maybe trumpet movements." Still a blank look, but he said, "Oh, ok."

    I ran into my doctor about 2 months later at a wedding. He pointed to the guy playing CDs and said, "Is that the kind of DJing you were telling me about?" Didn't really wanna get into a conversation about scratching, so I just said "Well, not really." Blank look.
  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts


    http://www.lemitt.com/

    My wife is suffering from carpal tunnel right now (common in her line of work as a hairstylist). She's been wearing some kind of a bracelike wrap / glove when she goes to sleep and that's been giving her some relief, but she's getting ready to try Le Mitt and see what it dew

    carpal tunnel iz a beeyotch
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    Yeah, I talked to my boss... and he said that I probably couldn't get workmans comp because carpel tunnel is a cumulative thing... If it happened to me quickly, while others work in masonry for 50 years without getting it, that means there were probably other problems contributing, the masonry was the last straw.

    Anyhow, I know it ain't worth it, but I am too fucking broke to quit. There are no job prospects where I currently am, and I am stuck here for a while with an apartment lease.

    Its not a situation I'm happy with.

    Thanks for the advice.

    Peace...
    FNM

    I don't know what the Workers Comp law is like in your country, but as far as US employers they must carry it for every employee and the cumulative nature of the disease means nothing - if it happens on their time, it's covered.

    I would look into what the law in your country states before taking your boss's advice.
  • slushslush 691 Posts
    the doctor will give you anti inflammatories, which are not expensive. the pharmacy fee will actually be more expensive than the drugs. the nerve thats fucked up probably orginates on the inner side of your elbow, actually just above it where there is a little groove. is a lot of the numbness going first to your pinky and ring finger? the real cure for repetitive stress is.. you guessed it, a complete lack of repetition. you should probably get a new job if you want it to heal. sayin'.
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