Bilateral thumb pain after wearing splints for Carpal Tunnel Symptoms

by Terry
(Twin Falls, Idaho)

I had carpal tunnel symptoms so I began to wear wrist splints for several months at night. This relieved my carpal tunnel symptoms but I now am unable to flex or bend my thumbs smoothly.

They pop or stick in one position and are very painful and swollen. They are worse in the morning. I have stopped wearing the wrist splints for a couple of months now but the symptoms in my thumbs has worsened. What could it be? What can I do to strengthen without invasive intervention. Terry

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Joshua Answers:

Hi Terry.

Hmmm. Do you mean that they hurt like Arthritis?

1. Say more about 'sticking and popping'. What does that mean exactly. Popping like with Trigger Finger?

2. Did you have thumb symptoms included in your Carpal Tunnel Symptoms?

3. Were your thumbs immobilized when you wore the splints? If so, how much did you wear the splints?

4. What's your overall health?

5. Gotten your Vitamin D levels checked lately? (You should!)

6. How's your digestion, how's your diet? If this is arthritisy kind of joint pain, going Gluten Free (and sugar free) for a couple months will greatly reduce the pain and symptoms.