Playing with Pain?

[FloridaPhil]

I'm in my 60s and have problems with arthritis and carpal tunnel in my right hand.  A couple of times I came back from a 3 day Biloxi trip with my hand so swollen I could hardly move it.  Because of this, I play a lot with my left hand.  Some members of this forum say they play 8 hours a day for days at a time.  Do you ever have these kinds of physical problems?  If so, how do you deal with it? 

[JIMDUECE`SWILD]

I had carpal tunnel in both hands years ago. I had surgery by a neural surgeon and I`m doing find. I am so glad that I had a good doctor. I don`t have any pain. I do get some very, very,very, minimum numbness in my small ( pinky ) finger at night. 

[baldie]

Try using a wrist brace.  They make them with metal in the palm area to hold the wrist in the correct position.  I used one when I had a gangilon(sp) cyst on my wrist and it really helped.

[shadowman]

You can change your hand position to relieve some of the stress. Sometimes I use the tips of my fingers and other times I hit the buttons with the palm-side, flat part of the finger below the first joint. My left hand is my worst so I often only play with my right hand. Much harder to do if your left hand is the worst. I also drink coffee which I hold in my left hand and the warmth seems to help as well. After a cup I can play with both hands for awhile.

[faygo]

As baldie mentioned I used a wrist brace for 8 months. It cured my carpal tunnel without surgery. Doing this did point out to me how difficult it is for left handers in this world as most things are set up for righties.

[marie meijer]

Thank you for addressing a problem that I experienced mildly in the past and my non- gambling son is currently having more intensively. He uses his hands extensively at work. The hand numbness occurred more at night when back sleeping. One Dr recommended sleeping on one's side and this helped. Also an anti-inflamatory over the counter med was recommended in addition to wrist braces. .

[JIMDUECE`SWILD]

When I had carpal tunnel, both of my hands would go numb at night. The intensity of my hands going numb was a lot. The more I used my hands at work and playing VP it was severe. On a scale from 1 to 10 it was a 7 or an 8.
Here is the type of surgery I had  http://www.nsurg.com/pages/carpal.html  from this office. This was done as an out patient.
The incision is so small, you can not see it on my wrist.
Consult your doctor about this procedure. It worked for me.
Get well ! ! ! ! !
 

[marie meijer]

Many thanks for that link, Jim. I made a copy to pass on. No doubt you have helped many others with that info! 

[JIMDUECE`SWILD]

I`m more then happy to pass on that info. If it helps someone I`m happy.

[backsider]

Playing video poker with pain? Are you serious? Try doing what Rajon Rondo did tonight with a dislocated/popped-back-in elbow!