Cinnamon Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Hubby has just been diagnosed with tennis Elbow - he has been in great pain for many months. He has also,as the same time,been diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Now,he is a builder & a very active man,so these conditions are causing him not only physical pain,but stress too - anyone a sufferer & anyone got any remedies? Rest is not really an option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Oh dear, your poor OH . Can't really offer any advice. I had CTS when my ES was tiny (caused by lots of nappy changing etc apparently). I wore a wrist support for a while and it went away. Don't suppose that's an option for your OH as he'd need to bend his wrists . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I had tennis elbow for a couple of years and was adamant I wouldn't have injections. When it got really bad I discovered it was 'mouse elbow' caused by clicking a computer mouse all day At it's worse I also developed a degree of carpal tunnel - any way, I found that a tennis elbow strap like This One was very helpful. The carpal tunnel went away when the tennis elbow was sorted. (my elbow is now 100% and it got better by changing my mouse to one that clicks from the side). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Your OH has my sympathy I had chronic tennis elbow rest really is the key I eventually had surgery with some success, hydrocortisone injections had no effect accupuncture started to work then switched off. I understand carpal tunnel responds better to surgery than TE best of Luck to your OH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Thanks all I will get one of those straps for him,I think. Oddly I had a woman come to my till last night (right pain in the nethers actually), & she had just been diagnosed with TE, & was taking these new Anadin Joint Pain tablets,so I have bought some of those for him too He will be able to rest it on holiday very shortly,then hopefully it can be managed a bit better,although like most men,especially builders,he isn't very good about preventing doing what is going to cause him pain,just brilliant about complaining about it when it does hurt again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 CM is right, the two are usually related and you need to look at things in his environment which he does regularly and might be causing it. I had both a couple of years back, stupidly delayed getting treatment and it got worse. After two visits to my osteopath it was gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 CM is right, the two are usually related and you need to look at things in his environment which he does regularly and might be causing it. That is easy - his work is causing it,& there is no real way around that,with him being in the building trade It is myriad things - hammering,sawing even driving maybe. Very difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 The trick is to identify exactly which task/action in his job is causing it and see if he can perform that task in a different way. It can be a simple as the handgrip on a tool being too large, or his posture being wrong. My mother got tennis elbow when she bought a new ironing and it had a larger hand grip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Spoke to him just now & he says he is 99% that it is lifting large panes of glass that is doing it. Not good news as a replacement window specialist, BUT he has Googled it & says that he can try lifting them with his palms facing out (I think), which should help a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I got tennis elbow by trying to hoe weeds out from between slabs. The elbow strap really helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 If he is lifting the panes by holding them from above, then that would figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 No,he holds them from the side,but according to sources,his hands are facing the wrong way. These are big,double glazed units.....far to heavy to hold from the top. Anyhow,he changed his lifting technique today and it has helped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 That's good news, I hope that he continues to improve. On a similar theme; a chap at work has been complaining of neck ache, so I went to take a look at his work station set-up. All staff are supplied with lap top stands or screen lifts to ensure that their screen/laptop is at the correct height, they also have plug in keyboards and a mouse to avoid any strain while they are working at their desk. This dumbo wasn't using any of these and had also changed the height of his office chair from when I adjusted it to the correct height All set back to the prescribed conditions now and I hope that his neck gets better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Probably a similar thing to when I started at work & they had me on the standing up Podium tills - my neck kept going into spasm - it was incredibly painful. There are no height adjusters there. I had to get a Doctors note to say that I could not work on those tills & have been fine since working the mainline tills all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Sounds like it.... the top of the screen should be level with the top of your head; you shouldn't be looking up or down at the screen. If you can't adjust your position (say on a till) then looking down at it is better than up or sideways at an angle. Regular breaks or changing your focal length by focussing on something in the distance are essential. I was very busy all yesterday on a timed document that had to be out by a tight deadline, I didn't leave my desk all afternoon, but still took time to look out of the window and rest my eyes. Ironically, I had to re-schedule an eye test from yesterday as we were so busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 I do a long shift on a Saturday (6and 3/4 hours) with only a short break & if i have my break too early I find my eyes get really tired from looking at the screen all day. Of course now it is regatta there are huge rowers to look at too,which helps On the Pod tills it was the leaning over to get stuff out the baskets & packing it which did for my neck,I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 If you get a chance on your long shift, try re-focussing on something about 50m away, say a sign over the other side of the store. That will change the 'load' on your eye muscles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Yes,I do try to...not always easy as everything is so immediate & in your face on a checkout. I am trying to chat my boss up to change the shift to a Sunday,where I would work slightly fewer hours,for much more pay,get a lunch hour & the parking is free too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 and the chances of that happening? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Zero at the moment. But........................when Uni starts in October at least 3 youngsters will be moving on,so fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 RE Carpel tunnel Has he been tested for coeliac disease? I know it sounds a bit odd, but Mum had a customer the other day who had had carpel tunnel surgery, and then was later diagnosed with coeliac disease, and had she found this out previously she probably wouldn't have needed the operation as coeliac disease can often cause it... This may or may not be the case with your OH, but it could be a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 No, not the case with him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohcarolina Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Get the neoprene Tennis Elbow strap. I did mine weeding with a trowel and wore it on and off even after it was 'better'. I'm lucky enough to have Occupational Health at work and Ultrsound helped. I got an elastoplast one from Boots and its washed and washed. Thanks also for the piece on Carpal Tunnel - I have that (not related) as I'm a computer user and drive 90 miles daily. 2 weeks holiday with no computer and driving helped but I can't do that every month Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 When I worked for a double glazing company some of our guys had tennis elbow and CTS, it was attributed to the gun that they use to apply silicone/caulk as the control needed to apply this correctly is quite precise and of course they were doing this on and off all day 6 days a week - we switched to (much more expensive ) aerosol type versions and it definitely helped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
