[Tros]

Over the last couple of years I have had a physical problem that sort of snuck up on me. I am looking for some advice, or thoughts on the problem, and the possible solution to the problem.

First, let me explain the physical ailment; the pain rarely pops up, but always flairs up when I am out riding my motorcycle. Basically in my inner wrist, up to about half way up my forearm (still in the inner side) I get a hell of a tingling sensation. Like I said, it's rarely an issue at this point, unless I am on the motorcycle. That ailment seems to me to be the start of carpal tunnel from what I have read.

My largest concern isn't so much the tingling, but rather an issue that I have had get worst and worst as the time has gone on. If I wake up in the middle of the night, or especially a long sleep, I can not seem to grip much of anything firmly with my dominant hand. It takes a minute of making a fist to really get my full grip. Right now, my grip is strong enough to hold anything under 15 pounds with ease, but past that and my hand will let the weight just slip right out of my hands...

My concern, if you haven't figured it out already, is I am very concerned with the "what if" situation of needing to use my XD 45 in a self defense situation. I'm worried that the situation may pop up where I won't be able to use my supporting hand and I run a high risk of limp wristing the pistol.

I was hoping somebody with helpful knowledge would chime in and give me some advice on the situation. While being strapped for cash, I am very strongly considering a revolver to reduce my fears of limp wristing in an intense situation.

 

[Rugergirl]

It sure sounds like it could be Carpal Tunnel. Get it checked out and soon.
I had the reverse problem, the Ulnar nerve(sister to the carpal), I miss judged the width of the door way and smacked the elbow into the wall. Cussed for a minute and forgot about it until I started having numbness and tingling in the hand, and no strength in the ring and pinky fingers. After a trip to the family doctor, several trips to a neurologist and finally a trip to an orthopedic surgeon, I have most of the use of those two fingers. Most, not all. If you have a compressed nerve waiting is the worst thing you can do. See a doctor.:smile:

 

[Tros]

Thanks, Rugergirl. The doctor is my plan of January already.

 

[Rock and Glock]

Definitely a Doctor, as soon as practical. CTS is no fun, nor is UNS. Until you see the Doctor, you might buy a CTS wrist stabilizer at Wal*Mart to wear at night. That should reduce the night issues, which probably result from the wrist not being held in a neutral position. Aleve can help reduce the swelling, as could Motrin or any other NSAID. if you can't take NSAID try Tylenol, but it does not have the anti-inflammatories of the NSAID's.

Vibrating tools, and the like (vibrating handlebars) are potential causes. The tingling is a pre-cursor.

 

[nedrgr21]

Try one of those dynaflex power balls. I started getting tingling in my fingers years ago from typing and a week of using that thing cleared everything up.

 

[raevan]

Untill you see a Dr., do streaching exercises such as twisting and flexing wrist and extending fingers. Try and reduse use of mator cycle untill you can balance the strength of the rest of your hand and arm muscles. Your condition can be agrevated by other things such as typing and driving a car. You need to increase your flexability and reduce the length of time you are gripping things in one position. Part of the problem is also the vibration your arms are going through. I have had to reduce the amount of time I mow the lawn because of the gripping and vibration. When My muscles start to lock up I stop and do flexing exercised and jest relax a little.

 

[Guardian]

I've been a revolver fan my whole life, but I have a compressed nerve and have had it in my left arm for years now, they operated on it while I was in the military. I had a 50/50 chance of it being ok, well it didn't take and I decided at this point in my life, I'm not about to take another 6 weeks of lifeof working, well the 50% that it didn't happened.

Though I could and can work a slide action, the pain that comes with it is not worth it to me and I ride a bike and though exercising that arm has helped ensure hours of riding, I have to break after about 2 hours or the pain returns to that arm. I have no problem not having an auto, revolvers are good in my book, but I won't live without my bike.:wink:

 

[Rob P.]

Sounds more like Cubital tunnel than Carpal tunnel. My wife has both so I'm pretty well versed in what hurts because of what is injured here.

My wife has had the surgeries to correct all 4 joints (both wrists and elbows). I suggest that you get thee hence to a surgeon and get checked out/fixed. Once fixed, modify whatever in your life caused the problems in the first place. Otherwise it WILL return and you may not be able to fix it again.

Having arms that you can't use and which feel like they are asleep all the time would suck. Paralyzed without the paralysis.

Good news is once you get it fixed it won't affect your shooting grasp much if at all. My wife can handle her S&W just fine without help or problems.

 

[RebelRabbi]

Practice practice practice WEAK hand firing until that becomes reflexive. Drop to Standard Pressure 185 gr Gold Dots or Silvertips, both are mild recoiling rounds.

 

[mprp]

Looks like you got some good replies. Another thing to maybe think about is if a handgun is the primary HD weapon, maybe you want to have a shotgun next to you at night in case you wake up in the middle of the night with trouble? Just a little side thought.

 

[rottkeeper]

I have it in in both wrists and know what you saying. I have a throttle rocker that helps a lot. If you have never seen them they attach to the throttle and let you use your palm to twist the throttle rather than having to squeeze the throttle and twist.

Before that I would be in agony in less than an hour and with the rocker I can ride all day.

See a specialists and get the surgery quickly.

 

[Tros]

I have it in in both wrists and know what you saying. I have a throttle rocker that helps a lot. If you have never seen them they attach to the throttle and let you use your palm to twist the throttle rather than having to squeeze the throttle and twist.

Before that I would be in agony in less than an hour and with the rocker I can ride all day.

See a specialists and get the surgery quickly.

I'm a lefty. I don't need to worry about the throttle rocker. :danceban:

 

[Rock and Glock]

Tros:

Go to your regular Doc first, then a specialist. A surgeon will always recommend surgery, go to your Doc first to get a general opinion, then a specialist, then the surgeon or recommended specialist.

Just my .02

 

[Tros]

Thanks. I am planning on taking that route. I trust my doctors opinion very much.

 

[Skye]

Tros:

There is some very good info above. I'm a biker too (right handed)and have had the same problems as you.

I found out that when sleeping, I was kind of folding my hand inward and instead of healing time it was aggrivating the problem.

A cheap wrist holder at Walmart helped a lot. Keeps your wrist in a slightly upward bent position while sleeping.

Also if you spend much time at a computor, be sure you have a mouse pad with a miniture pillow on it.

Sometimes it is just a combination of little things that bring on an attack. My Doc said, "Let it rest and heal". And made me use one of the wrist braces for two weeks day and night. It worked!

Come to think of it, you will still be able to ride with the brace on. Not so easy for me but I rode anyway.

Just to keep your skill level up, try practicing shifting gears without using the clutch.

...Skye...

 

[surefire7]

Try the non-surgical route first. If you go to a surgeon, he/she will recommend surgery. Good suggestions on the CT wrist brace-sleep with it on at night. Stretching (gentle but consistent daily) should help as well as avoiding the irritating activities. Try to see a Physical Therapist or Occupational Therapist who specialized in overuse syndrome injuries.(Advice from a PT who's had CT from a combination of bike riding/long sneak-up crawl on antelope/combined with a 14er climb using hiking poles to brake the way down).

 

[Tros]

I am really considering the wrist brace for sleep. I only ever have this grip problem after a long night of sleeping, so it would make sense to give it a shot. I've already found some wrist braces that would allow me to handle a pistol in an emergency situation.

I'll give this a shot and see how things go. Thanks everybody.

 

[Rugergirl]

A wrist brace for sleeping might help, especially if you find you are sleeping with your hand/wrist jammed under your pillow or bend at a sharp angle.
I thought that might have been part of my problem with the numbness in my fingers at the time, I always end up with my hand jammed under the pillow. I actually tried tying a scarf loosely around my arm and leg to prevent doing that in my sleep. No help in my case, the ulnar nerve was jammed so deeply into the crevice of the elbow that they had to grind away a bit of the bone to release the pressure on the nerve.
Both the neurologist and surgeon told me by waiting 4 months to do something about the problem, I may or may not get all of the feeling back over time. I still get a shock like feeling in the elbow and tingling in the tips of the fingers are the nerve slowly comes back to life.
I'm lucky it hasn't affected the things I enjoy doing, with the exception of cutting my fishing season short to have the surgery.

 

[Chevy-SS]

I was having a good bit of the same symptoms on my right hand, which I was using for computer mouse control. It got very bad, to the point I had to wear a brace and limit computer usage. Typing also became difficult - to the point where I began to use a voice command program to do my typing for me.

I was just about ready to go to doctor, when I decided to try using the computer mouse with my left hand. It took me a day or two to get used to manipulating the mouse with my left hand, but my right hand started recovering quickly as a result. Pain is gone in right hand now, and I will often alternate back and forth between right hand and left hand with the mouse.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

-