# Carpal Tunnel of Love



## knyfeknerd (Mar 9, 2012)

Just wondering if anybody else out there has/had Carpal tunnel. I've been in the kitchen for 20+ years. It's all I've done and all I'll ever do unless my underwear modeling career takes off. Last spring I finally asked the doctor about the numbness and serious pain I was experiencing in both my hands and arms.
So, Carpal tunnel it is. My GP prescribed some wrist braces. They are great and do help but you can't work in a kitchen with them on. GP sends me to Neurologist. Neurologist does electro-shock testing thing and this cool imaging thing too. So yes Carpal tunnel, I mean you can see it clearly in the imaging. 
Next up: Cortisone injections INTO the nerve itself! This is one of the most painful things ever. Afterward-instant relief(there is a numbing agent as well) so back to work.
Next day: I can't use my hands! Seriously this is not cool. They hurt so much worse. I'm right handed and pain is much worse in right. I can't work because I can't use my hands for a week. I tried to work left-handed for a couple of days which is so goofy.
Neurologist says this is not common. Puts me on nerve blocker which works pretty well. Has worked well for the past year. Now the pain is coming back.....what to do.
Sugery is an option but my recovery time is between 3 to 4 months. That's a long time to go without a paycheck. Surgery also is going to cost over 14k (and that's with insurance) Eventually I will have to get the surgery or I could possibly lose the use of my hand(s). 
Anybody else out there have this problem? What did you do? I don't think that my freelance speedo modeling will pay the bills if my lucrative foodservice career doesn't work out.


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## cnochef (Mar 9, 2012)

I hate to say it, but this is a very difficult and potentially career-changing situation for you. My sister-in-law is a pastry chef and has carpal tunnel from too many years of hauling around sheet pans without properly supporting her wrists. She is now unemployed and on permanent disability, deciding on her future. I truly hope it works out for you, but the reality is that you may have to consider your options. I know that many former chefs find later career satisfaction in sales, teaching, consulting or becoming a corporate chef for example. I would urge you to assess your strengths, make friends with a good headhunter and see what's out there for you.

I too have been a chef/manager/restauranteur for over 25 years. I am currently unemployed and looking for something else. My body, especially my legs and feet, have taken a beating. I think I've done my part and it's time to move on to greener pastures, while I still have time to change careers.


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## El Pescador (Mar 9, 2012)

I know it sounds stupid, but have you tried changing the height of your work station(if you can)?


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## cnochef (Mar 9, 2012)

El Pescador said:


> I know it sounds stupid, but have you tried changing the height of your work station(if you can)?



That is not stupid, that is genius for remembering it. Workplace ergonomics are extremely important, especially where repetitive tasks and movements are concerned.


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## knyfeknerd (Mar 9, 2012)

The bench I work on is low. However, it was made in the 40's , has an eight inch thick maple top, and the bottom is cast iron consisting of three flour bins. I should post a pic. This thing is a beast and weighs in at around 800 lbs.


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## WildBoar (Mar 9, 2012)

Can you raise it up on blocks to get it to a better height? Get some suitable pieces of wood, or possibly some masonry, to put under the legs and enlist the help of a few people to lift the ends. May be able to use a floor jack to help raise it if you can't recruit enough labor.


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## dragonlord (Mar 9, 2012)

Sleep in wrist braces, anti-inflammatory gel when you get home. Finally, when you do have surgery, make sure they only do one wrist at a time, as you may still be able to use your other hand in a supervisory role.


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## BobCat (Mar 9, 2012)

If you are in Charlotte then the Carolinas Medical Center should have a comprehensive hand service. If so, seek it out. Sounds like you are in need of surgery, but the rehab part is crucial. Teams devoted to hand surgery have the best results. FYI, there are differences in the surgical methodology as well. Example: some neurosurgeons will not use a pneumatic tourniquet (provides bloodless field) during surgery due to worries about median nerve compromise. Depending on your involvement, that might be important. Ask questions of your health care providers. Good luck, sorry for your situation.


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## ThEoRy (Mar 9, 2012)

My wife had severe pain and numbness in her right arm from the shoulder down to the fingertips. This was diagnosed twice as bursitis in the shoulder and then tennis elbow in her elbow. Months of treatment, medication, cortisone and therapy showed no sign of change, in fact it got worse. We decided to go for a third opinion, glad we did. 

Turns out she had 2 herniated disks in her cervical spine between c3 c4 and c5 c6 which were bulging out so much they were crushing the nerves running down the right side causing the numbness and extreme pain. We had the microdisctectomy with fusion done at the hospital for special surgery in NYC and it pretty much saved her life and career. If we hadn't acted on it as soon as we did, permanent irreversible damage would have occurred.

In my experience doctors can be wrong, so make sure you explore all possibilities. The nerve damage, pain and numbness may be caused by a bulging disk in the neck. Get it checked out to be sure. Best of luck to you.


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## Chef Niloc (Mar 10, 2012)

Had it so bad I would wake with crying pane some nights. Surgery worked, best thing I ever did


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## Peco (Mar 10, 2012)

Acupuncture might work, I've treated several patients with such symptoms - most with success.


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## knyfeknerd (Mar 10, 2012)

Chef Niloc said:


> Had it so bad I would wake with crying pane some nights. Surgery worked, best thing I ever did



How long was your recovery time?


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## Seth (Mar 10, 2012)

Yeah, permanent irreversable damage. I know what that is.


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## tk59 (Mar 10, 2012)

WildBoar said:


> Can you raise it up on blocks to get it to a better height? Get some suitable pieces of wood, or possibly some masonry, to put under the legs and enlist the help of a few people to lift the ends. May be able to use a floor jack to help raise it if you can't recruit enough labor.


...or maybe you could set a board on top of your work bench?


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## K-Fed (Mar 10, 2012)

The chef in one of my kitchens has had surgery this past year for that very thing and he still has pain in his arm/ shoulder that is nearly as bad as it was before hand and now a couple nice scars to go along with it. We joked around about it because he has a very agressive style in the kitchen but it is very serious and not something to be taken lightly.


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## Chef Niloc (Mar 10, 2012)

knyfeknerd said:


> How long was your recovery time?



I was back at work in 5 days but couldn't use my hand for about two weeks. Took about 4-6 weeks to be better then new. The success rate of this surgery is very good trouble is a lot of people also have radial nerve damage and that's a whole other ball game. I know 4 or 5 people who had it and all were glad they did.


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## SpikeC (Mar 10, 2012)

After a long period of futzing about the VA decided to go ahead and do the surgery on my CTS. I had just received 100% service connected rating so I just quit working instead. They couldn't do anything about the degenerated disc disease in the cervical spine so it was an easy call.


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## quantumcloud509 (Mar 12, 2012)

El Pescador said:


> I know it sounds stupid, but have you tried changing the height of your work station(if you can)?



Works for me. I do whatever i can at my two kitchens to achieve this. Im 6'3" and hunching over all day doing the work of three people frickin hurts man! Im 27, had been having tunnel related pains since my last carreer as a mechanic which ended 5 years ago.



Peco said:


> Acupuncture might work, I've treated several patients with such symptoms - most with success.



I love my accupuncture lady Mariah at the Pikes Place Market in downtown Seattle- it really helps!


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## knyfeknerd (Jul 15, 2014)

So I finally got the carpal tunnel release surgery on my right wrist/hand about 3 weeks ago. I'm still healing, but probably have about 65-70% good use of my hand. It hurts/feels weird when I try anything requiring a prolonged grip-especially a cutting motion. I hope to be back to full strength soon. Not being able to do any knife work or sharpening is driving me bananas.
I took the summer off to be with my kids/travel and to have the recovery time. It also cost me 0.00$ out of pocket because we already maxed out our insurance due to my wife's surgeries and procedures. I'm seriously considering having the left one done at the end of summer before I return the wonderful, glorious, glamorous and high-paying world of being a chef. Supposedly the recovery is a lot easier in your non-dominant hand.


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## apicius9 (Jul 15, 2014)

Never checked this thread before, I hope you will recover quickly and gain full function again. Glad it worked out with insurance, although just thinking about somebody having to pay 14K while having insurance makes me mad. Don't get me started on the US medical system... My CTS was very mild and only occasionally flares up, so I just have a vague idea what you are going through. However, I have a few fingers getting numb without pain, so I better have it checked out myself... 

Stefan


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## erikz (Jul 15, 2014)

knyfeknerd said:


> Sugery is an option but my recovery time is between 3 to 4 months. That's a long time to go without a paycheck. Surgery also is going to cost over 14k (and that's with insurance).


This is something I can't understand from a European point of view. Here we get surgery, pay our 360 of deductables for the surgery and then go and collect pay checks wilst recovering thanks to social insurance... 

We do pay a lot of taxes and insurance, but this pays out when ending up in a situation like this, you can always do the healty and better thing to do.

That said, I wish you all the best in recovery kk, must suck to have this.


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