# Numb Thumb?



## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

Over the few weeks leading up to the holidays, I did an awful lot of hand sanding which led to my hands getting pretty crampy. I have arthritis and the cold weather agrivates it.

The cramps have gone away, but now my right thumb is totally numb on the top side, and has been that way since about the 23rd of December. I figure I have Carpel Tunnel, as I also spend allot of time at a keyboard.

Other than the top of the thumb being numb, the only other problem is that if I stretch my arm out straight and move my thumb through it's full range of motion, there are a few spots that send pain shooting up my arm.

Anyone else out there ever have this? If so, what was it?

Andy


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

i get it to, and had a spell of carpel tunnel before, i think its the same thing.
if i work my hands too much, ill often wake up with numbness and /or pain.
i try to avoid repetitive use, but its often unnavoidable with work-
if i remember to take an aspirin each morning it seems to ward it off tho-
when playing guitar, if i am playing the same part over and over, working on it, my hand will lock right up, or go numb- ive learned to loosen it up by mindlessly noodling for a few minutes at regular intervals while working on anything repetitive. sucks bieng old and beat up:smile:


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

I used to get that, then on a lark I went to see a chiropractor. He adjusted a few things and my numbness went away and things has been great. I see him every now and then for a tune up and all is good.


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## Crossroads (Apr 23, 2006)

Yes I have had the numb thumb syndrone about 10 years.. a pinched nerve in my neck...some days more numbness than others but always there....


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## MaxWedge (Feb 24, 2006)

I have had ongoing recurring numbness and associated pain for years. Then after frustrating visits to my GP who always would write it off as sleeping wrong. I went to a chiropractor. He examined me by only touch and found on that first visit that I had problems in the c-5, c6 area of my neck. His ordered X-rays reveiled I had lost the disc there. I had surgery where those two vertibrae were fused. Chaffing of the nerve root has left me with a chronic condition that I am more than willing to live with, compared to the pain previously.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Hamm Guitars said:


> Over the few weeks leading up to the holidays, I did an awful lot of hand sanding which led to my hands getting pretty crampy. I have arthritis and the cold weather agrivates it.
> 
> The cramps have gone away, but now my right thumb is totally numb on the top side, and has been that way since about the 23rd of December. I figure I have Carpel Tunnel, as I also spend allot of time at a keyboard.
> 
> ...




I actually had a very similar thing with my right thumb. It lasted for what seemed like forever (months) and I fugured it was nerve damage or something. Then one day I noticed it wasn't as bad as it used to be and it ultimately went away completely. I never had it looked at so I'm sorry to say I can't really tell you much, other than it went away by itself. 

Trouble is, when you get up to our advancing ages stuff takes a LONG time to heal.

Hope you have the same results I did.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Years ago I had a similar problem with both hands due to long hours with floor sanders, polishers, and the like. What cured it was a good chiropractor, a fantastic massage therapist who works my hands and arms as much as my shoulders and neck, and best of all a new job.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I get the same thing in my right thumb whenever I overwork my right shoulder. Mine gets so bad it feels like someone is trying to drive a nail through the knuckle in my thumb. Specialists say that it's caused by a nerve in my shoulder that runs right down to my thumb. Active release massage helps and gets rid of it until I overdo it again.


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## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

Thanks Guys,

There is a "Massage Parlour" downtown in the same building as one of my customers - they seemed like nice girls, so I'll give them a try....


Otherwise I'll see my Chiroprator, my neck and back are killing me too.


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

Did you mean a rub & tug...LOL

I went for 2 1/2 years with problems in my wrist, 3 different types of specialists, MRI,all 6+ months apart ,all convinced it was arthritis (now it is), ate all kind of pills that made me sick, literally...turned out to be some unusual rare disease (sarcoidosis) that was evential discovered when a doctor cut a chunk out and had it analyzed (results in a week) after 2 1/2 years of BS while my wrist slowly got worse..now to the point that after say hammering or sanding for more that 1/2 hour makes it stiff and sore for several days...right hand and I'm right handed....I guess the point is...is this fixeable and if so insist that you get 100% attention.....or start learning to scratch yourself with your other hand.
cheers
RIFF


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