Hi everyone - I'm 22, a drummer and a software developer (so my hands/wrists get pounded everyday, between drumming and typing). I play some bass and guitar as well. Recently, I've had short (2-3 day) bouts with a terrible pain in my wrist, usually accompanied by a lot of weakness in my hand and wrist. I'm right handed, but the problem occurs only in my left hand; my right hand/wrist always feels fine and solid. I usually medicate with some ibuprofen or acetophetamin, but it's beginning to happen more frequently and I'd like to prevent vs. medicate. I've tried changing my typing stance and stretching my wrist, but that doesn't seem to help. In addition, there has yet to be any clear indicator of what is causing the problem, i.e., I've never had any one action trigger the events. There is no pain above the wrist, and the wrist has a dull pain until I move it up or down - then it becomes more pronounced, but never shooting or sharp.
I haven't had any wrist injuries in a long time, and I'm a little concerned because I'm so young. My family has a history of osteoporosis (both of my parents were diagnosed in their mid-40s), and my father's side has a history of diabetes (neither my father or myself have been diagnosed). I'm in relatively good health but I could stand to lose a few pounds (6' 1", 225 lb), and I'm a smoker.
If anyone could shed some light on this issue it'd be great - especially if it's something I can change in my daily activity. Thanks in advance.
-John D
I've got no answers for you as I have come here looking for help with a similar problem.
Pain in the wrist that comes and goes.It was just in the right wrist from time to time and I thought it was most likely arthritic. But today I have a similar pain in the left wrist, although the right one is fine at the moment. Whats worse though is that the bottom of my arm feels a bit weak and numb, like a trapped nerve or something.
Does anyone know if this sounds like carpal tunnel or have any ideas?
Hi,
I have a similar problem, but as I am a little older (47), they have put it down to arthritis. My right wrist generally feels weak and if I try to lean on it at all, it will give way and a pain shoot through it. I was advised to take ibuprofen, high dose, on a regular basis and to use ibuprofen gel when it is really bad.
I must admit, as I use a computer most days, I too thought it was carpel tunnel or repetitive strain injury, I think the only way for you to tell would be to stop doing the activity you think may be causing it for say, a day or two, using the gel and tablets at the same time. If there is an improvement then you may have your answer.
Of course, you could always go to the doctor, there are tests they can do to rule out the most likely causes and of course an xray wouldn't go amiss!!
Crabapple
Hi crabapple,
I am a tad older than you so maybe mine is arthritic.I do find that when my wrist is troublesome the herbal supplement devils claw is helpful rather than Ibuprofen as it is a natural anti inflamatory.
Also I have read that joint pains can be a common problem in perimenopause but I don't know if thats true. Lately I have been putting all my aches and pains down to my age.
Seeing as you use your hands are wrists so much this could be an over-use injury. Continued use without giving your muscles time to rest/heal between prolonged activity. Did the bouts of pain start after you increased your workload either at work or as a musician? Does the pain go away when you rest? Do you rest? Do you wake up with the same pain as when you went to bed, or does it feel better in the morning? Without wanting to scare you muscle weakness can be a sign of an overuse injury which is getting to a stage where permanent damage might occur if you don't rest.
Check your postural position: how are you holding your shoulders as you play? If your shoulders are in a poor position this will make your arms/wrist/hands more prone to RSI.
Has anyone looked at your spine? Are you reasonably flexible through your rib-cage?
A trip to a body-worker - or better, an Alexander teacher could be the way forward for you.
Sharon
I've had problems with my right wrist for years. It comes and goes but when it's bad I can't put any weight on it at all.
I went to the doctor about something else and mentioned it to her and she said she didn't know what was causing it and to take ibuprofin, which I had been doing to no effect. So she prescribed me Voltarol tablets instead. They took the edge off, but didn't do much. After about another year or so of me complaining about it, she referred me to the hand clinic at the hospital who also didn't know what was causing it. They gave me a wrist splint which I had to wear all day and all night for a month and then just at night for a further month. The pain stopped for a couple of weeks but soon returned. That was a couple of years ago.
I mentioned it to my physio last week and he had a look for me. He says that my lunate carple is loose and catching on the radioulna joint. He manipulated it and strapped it for a few days. So far so good.....touch wood!
Surely this is carpal tunnel syndrome? I got it nearly 30 years ago through wringing out terry towelling nappies!!! I was given one injection (of steoids - yuk!) into each wrist and the problem was over. (Luckily I knew nothing then -nowadays I would probably refuse the steroid injections on principle and go with something alternative!)
Good luck.
Love
Sunanda xxx
Same problems (age 22)
Hi,
Iv been getting the same problems, but mine has been over the past year or maybe longer now. Would any of you agree that it is usually worse in colder weather? Its just iv not long come back from holidays abroad and not once it hurt whilst being there. I come home to a little sunny weather but not much at all and now a few weeks later this agonising pain has come back (along with typical British weather). It tends to get very week as well and cant put alot of pressure on it.
Rebecca
I've had this problem on and off for years. I started taking Thrive a year ago for my lower back aches, and to my surprise hadn't had this issue in my wrist at all during that time. However, I got too confident with it and injured it this past Friday evening. I have splinted it myself, and am hoping the combination of thrive and ibuprofen will help it feel better faster.
Good luck to you all, and I hope you are feeling better by now. 😉
OK - I'll ask the question. What is Thrive?
The two most common issues with this kind of pain are
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