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I have been experiencing right hand/finger tingling. Could this be

Posted By: carpal tunnel? nm on 2006-05-09
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Right hand/finger tingling
Could be disk in your neck, carpal tunnel or both. I would see your PCP and/or orthopedic doctor and go from there. Collars do help, heat, etc. I have had this pain for years, even after surgery, not a lot of fun. Good luck, hope you get good news that it is none of the above.
Same finger/left hand - many years ago
Somehow got my finger between the panels of my garage door when I was pulling it shut leaving for work. At that time, worked in Radiology Dept.- x-rays showed FX & had it splinted. Believe it or not, went onto work & over the weeks learned how to compensate & "type" without that finger. Actually, had a hard time re-training myself to use that finger after the splint was taken off. Just knew at that time I "had" to work (divorced - 3 kids, no support, etc.) Amazing what you can do when you have to!
I didn't have any hand/finger symptoms either, just

wrist.  Using a brace at night helps some.  I use the kind that has the metal strip so that you can't bend your wrist.  I found them at my drugstore.   I had surgery almost 15 years ago and did fine until this past year, and again am developing symptoms.  My symptoms developed from writing, not typing, and now I can type usually without problems, but I can only write a tiny bit, can't grip a garden tool for long or do any type of fine motor movement for long and then if I do my wrists hurt so much that typing then bothers me. 


I know there is some vitamin regimen to help, though I don't know what it is.  I was put on Naprosyn first and was allergic to it.  Orthopod suggested hot and cold soaks, 15 minutes each.  I had cortisone injections and some other type of injections, and physical therapy.   I was only out of work about 3 days, but I wasn't an MT at the time.   I do not have the strength in my hand that I used to, but other than that haven't really had any problems.  I do have trouble with pain occasionally, can't think of the word, but it feels like the scar is drawing up and I get shooting pains, but I can massage the scar and it eases.    I'm considering a job change rather than going through surgery again, not because the surgery was bad, just because not only do I have carpal tunnel, but I have swelling and tingling in my feet, butt spread, etc.  


Word of warning - make sure you have an empty bladder before the EMG study.  They have to test both sides so they have a comparison and between laying flat, still, and the electrical shocks I couldn't get off that table quick enough to go potty.


Also, if you don't already, get a keyboard tray that is adjustable.  You can find them at a woodworking store or in various catalogs.  I can position mine at various heights and various angles.  I also sometimes lower the tray and put a pillow on it and then my keyboard and it absorbs some of the pressure and using the pillow you don't have an edge from the tray or the wrist pad pressing into you.  I also found I sit back in my chair better with the pillow.  If this is not comfortable at least try a folded towel between the tray and keyboard.


I wouldn't discourage surgery, but I would try some of the things above first. 


 


 


Tingling in ear

I tried posting this last night but I guess it didn't take, so I apologize if it's a repeat and I'm overlooking it.


Has anyone ever developed tingling and maybe slight numbness inside their ear from wearing headphones? I had some that were too tight when I first bought them (they fit over the ears like regular headphones, not inside the ear) but wore them anyway and got use to them. I've had this on-and-off tingling sensation ever since. Now I've switched to some lightweight ones that fit inside the ear and it's still doing it and may be worse. Just wondering if it's the headphones, can't imagine what else it could be?


I am sorry your experiencing this.
I have had friends that spotted during pregnancy and their pregnancy went full-term.  However, my second started out with a little pink on the tissue then a few more days got heavier.  It unfurtunately ended in MC.    I did not have any cramping.  I was only 6 weeks. My third pregnancy, I did have brownish spotting at around 7 or 8 weeks,  scared me to death but I carried her on to full-term, well actually a week over my due date.  She is 5 months old now, very healthy.   
it bothers me that YOU are experiencing this

You are so funny I expected that joy to carry over in all aspects of your life -


What has changed for me - When I was IC I felt so free - could work whenever.  Also, we are all afraid we won't have a job so everything we have invested in this may be going you know where on a handcart.  That makes things a lot less enjoyable for me.  But, have to say, I love the way you write and I agree with other poster - you should at least try a newspaper column!


I've used Hand-Eze and Thergonomic Hand Aids. sm
They help with the carpal tunnel and keep hands warm for me. They cover the hand and wrist but leave the fingers free. I wear them inside out, though, because the seams rub on the skin too much for me. I've gotten so used to them, that it is more comfortable wearing them while typing than typing with nothing on.
Don't talk about hand, I still remember the one that got her hand chewed up by her pet rat....

had nightmares for 2 days after that.



Yahoo is currently experiencing problems with (sm)
servers on both coasts. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to have this feature, as well as other, fixed ASAP.
Thank you for your patience while our experts are working on the fix.
Please email the Administrator regarding the problem you are experiencing.
We worked very hard on making sure FlashCount is correct, so there must be something else going on. support@mtstars.com
I have over 16 years experience and I have been experiencing the same thing
I've sent out at least 10 resumes in the past week or two and only 1 or 2 responses and then nothing. I think it's just a sign of the times. Sometimes, I feel like having too much experience is a hindrance because these companies who only want to pay 1-3 cpl for VR etc.. know it's an insult so they hope for some newbie to accept their office. This biz has gone down the drain!!!!
Well, if you broke your right hand and were right-hand dominant, can you see how this might be a fac
It may not be relevant at the time of dictating a physical exam or social history but in the future it would be good to know if the patient breaks the finger(s), wrist, hand, arm.
Just experiencing acute care dictation, for the first time in years
the dictation seems lacking of a change in the tone of the dictation, inflections put on syllabyls or sentence structure are both missing. It makes the job boring with the sighs and "ummmm"s of which there are many, loss of train of thought. In my day, the doctor's dictated with some emotion which helped to enjoy the job even more, in fact, that is my fav part, typing a good job for the person dictating - that has always been my goal. It is very depressing since I see another 10 or so years in this field unless I sprout a new talent that can pay the bills.
Dang Lucy's got a good idea. Now why didn't I think of that because I've been experiencing





It was nothing that I could put my finger on definitely. sm
Keep in mind this was 4-5 years ago though. I paid good money for my McAfee and had it for about a year and then they said they were not going to suppot that version any more and I would have to either upgrade (more expensive) or lose my tech support. So I entered the world of searching for a good AV program.

Other than that, it was a conglomeration of a lot of stuff. I didn't think it was very user friendly (or maybe I just didn't read enough of the tutorial) LOL, but it did not play well with some of my other software I had. It seemed to constantly butt heads with my SpyBot S&D. That being said, it did the job it was supposed to do, which I guess sometimes is all we can expect.
yep - it's the finger using the mouse the most

I have had this problem for so long, been through multiple mice, now on logitech for a couple of years (better but not great).  I just live with it - been MTg for 3 decades........hands always hurt too cuz I won't have carpal tunnel surgery or any hand surgery (been there, done that, and never again).  Hope you feel better.  Advil helps but Advil is not all that good for you for any length of time....


 


http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/content/full/181/5/1224


Finger fumbling

Hello all:


I was wondering if maybe some of you might have some pointers for me.  I have been doing transcription for almost 3 years, and I have days where I have "fumble fingers."  This really gets on my nerves as on the days I have fumble fingers it seems it takes me forever with my documents.  I was just wondering if anyone else has days like these? Any ideas on what to do?  I can typically type 80-85 words per minute, but when I have finger fumble days, of course it makes me type slower because I am having to continually backspace!!


Thank you :)


Finger stiffness - sm
All the time... I'm only 40 too. It must be contageous!
Has anyone had to work with a booboo finger?
I dropped a tire on my right middle finger last night and ended up in the emergency center.  Turns out I crushed the tip of the bone.  I have disability, but does anyone know if it's possible to get some kind of supplemental insurance to make up the difference?  This is my worst work nightmare, that something might happen to my hands.  Can I insure them for, oh a million dollars or so?
It's my right index finger-- tightens up - nm
x
Have had stiffness of all of my finger joints....
No pain, just mild stiffness/tingling in the morning that I only feel if I try to make a fist that pretty much lasts all day.  Doesn't keep my from transcribing or anything, just wondering if this could be caused by typing all day.  I kinda expected to get carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrists, but this is strange.  Unless this is the first sign of arthritis!  I'm only 40!  

 

Anyone experience anything like this?  TIA!

 

 

'three-view right ring finger', or
(Note the punctuation for each version.)
I find most everything in your post to be finger pointing.
You are putting every excuse in the world out there as to why you are not able to do the job you were hired to do.

Sorry to hear about your past but that is NOT why you were FORCED to take a job. You made a CHOICE to take the job.

Yes, it is legal for an employer to ask you to do more than one account. It is NOT abuse but, by the other statements in your post, that you feel everything is someone else's fault.

If the job isn't for you, then go find one that is. The point is that your most profitable work might not be in medical transcription.
LOL! This was divine intervention, slip of my finger....LOL...nm
nm
roast in mini bites (finger food)
going to cut up one of the bison roasts into bite sized pieces, shake in a bit of flour, and pan-fry nice and slow. It makes such yummy bites! probably have a home-grown salad too...i made some tater soup with left-over brocolli and gr beans for lunch -- we are blessed with too much good food. i need to use some squash too :)
Need help on recipe board please for non-perishable finger foods (sm)
Have been asked to help with an office open house and need recipes for non-perishable "finger" food. Since it is in an office, no appliances available, so anything of this nature will be greatly appreciated!!!!!
Sounds like all the doublespeak inflicted on us at our employee meetings. Finger-pointing, no const
.
On the other hand....
if you're an experienced acute care MT, you can pick up radiology in a month or two.  I just did it earlier this year.  Never typed a minute of radiology before and a couple months later I'm "flyin" at it.  Yes, there's a learning curve, but it's not brain surgery. 
on the other hand...
If you knew the TAT on the account when you took it on, and accepted it as such, then your obligation is to have the work done on time.  If your personal life is getting more complicated and interfering with your ability to maintain the TAT,  then maybe you should let your employer know so they can replace you with someone who can meet the TAT.  Their first obligation is to the client, after all. 
On the other hand....
Just the fact that you would be working on only one type of report would tend be for better production.
None I can think of off hand LOL!
xx
on the other hand..emp vs IC sm

status.


Anyone have experience with companies who hire you as an employee, certain hours but don't provide you with the equipment you need?  Worked for a company that did that but no medical spell checker on their software, some accounts they want YOU to buy a C-phone for etc. etc.  Asked them up front if account I would be working on would have medical speller, told yes.  It did not.  Also there was some kind of ShortHand program built in that they knew nothing about, we couldn't get to and conflicted with the autocorrect I used in Word.  Kept asking and it was always we will ask the hospital and then nothing.  Went out bought my own spell check and whatever I needed then three weeks into working, they dump the account.


Start over with a new account, different problems, they want me to buy even more stuff.  Said no I am outta here!


Anybody had that problem?


You're right .. and here's 1st-hand knowledge -- sm

I start med school (been an MT for 24 years) August 2006. 


One of my classes last semester was Intro to Medical Practices.  I especially inquired about pro bono work by all the physicians and dentists who spoke to the class as guests each week.  All gave significant amounts of their practice to pro bono work.


One physician in particular impressed me.  He is a cardiovascular surgeon.  His main area of expertise is doing cardiac bypasses.  To make a long story short, because of insurance changes (MCare) over the past few years, he only makes about $650 per bypass for his own pocket and that is gross.  Of the $1850 MCare and insurance companies pay him for this procedure, it costs him $1200 in overhead for that procedure.  Until last year, he would often do the procedure for free for patients who could not afford it and had no insurance.  However, for 2 years he had to BORROW MONEY to pay his OVERHEAD because he did so much pro bono work.  He finally decided he just could not go bankrupt doing that.  So now, he STILL does HIS PART for free but the patient has to pay his overhead.  He tells them to call their family, friends, churches and if they have the $1200 for his overhead, he will donate HIS skills/time/energy for free.


The physician (maxillofacial surgeon) who directed this class said his annual pro bono work runs around $250,000 a year. 


As well, while dentists recoup 95% to 100% of the fees charged for their services (they are ALWAYS getting their money up front), physicians (with the exception of cosmetic plastic surgery) only recoup an average of 31% of their fees.  For every $1000 they spend on a patient, they will only get back approximately $310 and must write off the rest. 


Now that is INSIDE information - direct from the physicians and dentists we had in class.  I was shocked.  Not deterred, but shocked. 


Regarding that lovely cardiologist who gives so much away, take into consideration that the $650 for HIS skills/time/energy for ONE cardiac bypass -- he invests a total of 12 to 15 hours for that one procedure (that is WITHOUT complications happening) including his consult/operative time/followup visits, hospital rounds, etc.  That comes out to about $54 an hour -- and plumbers and electricians around here make more than that.  My Ford dealership in town gets $76 an hour. 


And now, since we are starting to do bypasses endovascularly through the femoral artery, he has to really put the money down for more education to train to do this or he will be out of business shortly. 


Interesting huh?!  When people make comments to me about my future as a physician as a way to "get rich", I tell them not necessarily so!!  LOL  I'm not doing it for money!  You couldn't pay me enough to go through all this at this time in my life!!  LOL  


Because I live with it first hand

I do get offensive when someone doesn't like my children simply because of their skin tone.  I'm not saying that the OP said anything about my children or even posted about the topic.  I was just offended that she can so casually admit to being a prejudice person.  Prejudice causes hate and violence.  I take offense to that.  I think that you should, and everyone should take offense to it so that it can be stopped.  If everyone were okay with it or  no one ever stood up about the subject, where would we be? 


Also, there is a difference between knowing someone as an individual that may be a "bad seed" and be a minority and not liking them versus not liking someone without knowing them as a person simply because they are a minority.


All I know is, when those of us who are saved make it to heaven, there will be every race there right along with us, as God has created us all in his image.


Don't need hand holding.
I don't expect them to hold my hand, but it would be nice if they at least pretended to be somewhat human! Compassion for another person's loss only takes a second to respond to.... as you said in your post. It only took a second right? Most of the time I am with you, I would rather NOT hear from them. But of course I sent an e-mail to tell her that I would be out for the funeral, she could have replied with a condolence. That's all I am saying. I think that's a bit of a problem with the world in general these days, no one even seems to have time to be kind. Thank you for your second to respond and give your condolence on my loss!
Hand stress

I've transcribed since 1983.  You can lessen hand stress if you observe how you hold your hands as you type.  When I was in my twenties I noticed that there was a real difference in the way I held my hands and how the older transcriptionists (they had their wrists up and hands pointing down at the keyboard).  I have always had my wrists laying on something and my fingers are going up.  I have never had one bit of carpal tunnel or pain whatsoever.


I agree 100%, on the other hand
They are all "red" states, you would think Bush would give them a payback for giving him a job....hey, maybe if we tell him Osama Bin Laden is there he will send some troops.
Two first hand accounts..that's where
Any excuse to blame him...that's okay. Very expected. Very insignificant.
Well, Bush DOES consider himself at the right hand of The Man...

I have Short Hand. Never used the others -sm
You can install ShortHand on multiple PCs. I like it. You can actually have one shortcut for a few things (found that really, really useful). You do have to pick from the list which one you want, but I'd rather be accurate even if it might slow me down a little. It has drawbacks too though. If you forgot to put -ed on the end of a word for instance, and you go back and do that and if ed is one of your shortcuts, it will expand when you don't want it to. You can save your personal shortcut dictionary (which is nice for backup) and install it along with the program on other PCs. You can also convert an old PRD dictionary from WP if you had one and possibly others too.

It works with anything windows and you can have multiple dictionaries for multiple jobs or facilities that might have different rules.
best hand lotion..sm
This stuff is great. It's about $12.00 a bottle..maybe more now..check out Silver Lining.com ... it has MSM in it and I have actually used it to relieve my carpal tunnel pain. It's a great healing lotion. Wonderful stuff!
Help! Does anyone have first-hand experience with VR, and if so,
what about the MONEY? I do not mind learning it and am excited about the new possibilities and where MT fits; however, am I to expect a major pay reduction? I imagine full-time with benefits will no longer be an option?

Please, any substantial information will be very appreciated...I am only interested in the money, so I can pay my rent, my utilities, my groceries. I do not have a husband who supports me, so live paycheck to paycheck.

Is it possible to make any money?

Thanks all!
leg and hand edema

I have had a problem with swelling in my lower legs and feet and also my hands for the past few years now.  When this first started I had problems with headaches, went to the doctor and found my blood pressure was high.  So now I take HCTZ 75/50 once a day and do pretty well on it.  It is a pretty good diuretic and my B/P is very well controlled on it. 


In the mornings I have no swelling at all, but I notice though that by the end of my workday my hands and legs are really swollen.  My doctor says to just start exercising regularly and elevate my feet whenever possible.  I also try to avoid salt.  I'm a bit overweight so I'm sure that is not helping either. 


I'm just curious if any of you other MTs have this problem also and how you deal with it.



Hand raised...
I too tell my teens to get off the phone, bed by 10:30 usually, curfew and such. It's hard because her friends don't have curfews and she does. It's very difficult to be the "party pooper" but somebody has to.
Want to hold my hand.
I agree, insulting a fellow MT is uncalled for, let alone a PS to imply this is unprofessional. I guess the word "brain" "dense" and "childish" are your words for the week! That makes what now, ? MTs you are wondering whether they have brains or not, are dense or childish. Oh, and please stop YELLING at people posting on this site. We are not children nor do we act like a child. Be kind as if we were your children, because you obviously are not around adults often enough. Geez!!!!!!! PS: Congrats to making fantastic money. I'm sure you are very dedicated.
This post is getting way out of hand--sm
consider dropping all comments now, before some people end up getting banned. just a suggestion.
I'd force her hand. sm
I'd definitely force her to do the deed if that's what she's up to. I sure wouldn't make it easy for her. It sounds like you've done a good job for them all this time. As for the pay, I think I'd be tempted to mention something about how they could afford vacation, but not be able to pay you, especially after you spent your vacation at home. The idea that she'd do that burns me up for you! Furthermore, you know darn well they've got the money. She's just being vindictive. Make sure and update after next week. We'll be wishing you luck with this sticky situation.
I just checked this out, Hand-Eze about twice as sm
expensive. About $20.00 for a pair of Hand-Eze and $11.99 for a pair of Thergonomic Hand-Aids. The only difference I've found is the color and the name.
She only cuts 3. By hand. That's all.
x
Hand Pain Help
You may also try taking magnesium and B6. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer, and the B6 works with the mag. Your problem is not exactly the same as mine was, but it could help you too.

Several years ago I developed carpel tunnel syndrome that got progressively worse over a several of months. Magnesium/B6 is what the doctor suggested, and within a week, my pain, numbness, tingling....all the symptoms, were completely resolved!!! I haven't worn a brace since! The dosage I took was 2600 mg of magnesium a day and 200 mg of B6. Adjust the dose as needed.

**Word of warning - if you develop stomach problems (to put it nicely), cut back your dose. Loose stools are a side effect of too much magnesium in your body, but it doesn't mean you can't take it...just cut back the dose until you get to a comfortable level. Good Luck!
hand cramps
My hands were bothering me over the past 8 months or so.  Last weekend I went river rafting and even though my wrists were aching and felt weak, I had to row!  Bottom line, the next day my hands/wrists were feeling fine. After working one afternoon, I had cramping again but I think exercising in kind of a cross-training way will fix them.