Numb hands

[HÖLLENREICH]

happy enddings, no matter how you put it, aint no massage.

 

[southsoundtree]

Reduce/ avoid caffeine and nicotine to see if that helps.

I like to start out with warm gloves from in the house. Its easier to Stay Warm than Get Warm. When its really cold out, I'll start the day with the Kinco thermal gloves from Bailey's for about $5-6/ pair. I'll switch to Atlas thermal/grey gloves.

Stretch your fingers/ forearm muscles and thumb.

I like to warm up my hands and wrists on the way to the job. That way I can jump into the tree while the guys get gear set.

A thermos of hot tea/ hot chocolate throughout the day helps.

Good hydration helps. When you are dehydrated your blood gets more viscous, reducing ease of flow.

Make sure you are keeping your head and neck warm. Shell Core Shunt is the movement of blood from the Shell/extremities to the Body Core to retain more heat. If you body thinks that it is too cold, it will pull back heat via circulation from your limbs.
How are your toes when your fingers are frozen?

 

[classictruckman]

I know I have white finger, but lately I think I may have carpal tunel too. Over the last year I've noticed that when I pick up heavy things or reach way out for a branch or something I have a funny thing like an electrical shock run through my wrist then a dull ache from my forearm, is this carpal tunal?

 

[southsoundtree]

[ QUOTE ]
I know I have white finger, but lately I think I may have carpal tunel too. Over the last year I've noticed that when I pick up heavy things or reach way out for a branch or something I have a funny thing like an electrical shock run through my wrist then a dull ache from my forearm, is this carpal tunal?

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With symptoms like those, I think that you should get a hand specialist physical therapist to look at it. They can do some things for you in the office, therapy wise, and give you good stuff to do out of the office, such as stretching exercises and icing. It won't get better on its own.

What saws do you run? Are you reshaping your rakers, or just lowering? The appropriate shape, I believe, effects the vibration. Other vibrating equipment

You seem way to young to be having screwed up wrists/ hands for the rest of your life. I wish I'd had more foresight in this regard when I did rock wall building for trails and forestry fuel reduction ("I can move this giant piece of wood into the burn pile") in the past.

 

[Murph]

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I have a funny thing like an electrical shock run through my wrist

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I get this as well. It almost feels like the tendons in my hand setting themselves or being plucked like a guitar string. Not painful, just feels weird/unnerving. I have yet to see a specialist. Free health care comes at a cost.

 

[classictruckman]

I run mostly stihl 260s and lately 192Ts but a 361 and 441 when I have to. We try and reshape the rakers, but I'm sure in most cases they just get lowered, because you have so many saws to file before 7:30 am.

However because I mostly work with a crane I don't cut very much although I have been doing less crane work this year and more bucket and climbing.

I associated with lifting and climbing because I cut firewood during the winter and don't have the problem, but when I'm climbing during the summer I do.

My question was whether or not it was carpal tunel, somebody mentioned before that they had carpal tunel, what was that like?

 

[classictruckman]

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Free health care comes at a cost.

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Yeah especially when swine flu has the emergency room so full that you have to make reservations

 

[southsoundtree]

[ QUOTE ]
I run mostly stihl 260s and lately 192Ts but a 361 and 441 when I have to. We try and reshape the rakers, but I'm sure in most cases they just get lowered, because you have so many saws to file before 7:30 am.

However because I mostly work with a crane I don't cut very much although I have been doing less crane work this year and more bucket and climbing.

I associated with lifting and climbing because I cut firewood during the winter and don't have the problem, but when I'm climbing during the summer I do.

My question was whether or not it was carpal tunel, somebody mentioned before that they had carpal tunel, what was that like?

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I think that the 192t, 361, and 441 have more advanced anti-vibe than the 260. I have an 026 that really noticeably vibrates more than the 361, 192t, and 211 that I have. I also have an Echo top-handle back-up. The vibes are far worse.

Stretch a bunch. Google for some cts specific stretches.
A PT told me before that I had a build-up of tension in my flexor/gripping muscles that were continuously irritating my wrists. Stretching and massage help.

I've used peppermint oil on my wrists as well, after suggestion by a random person that I met at a tool rental store after he saw me with cloth, athletic tape circling my wrists. Can't exactly say if it helps or not.

Aim to work as much as possible with a neutral wrist position.

Just like we try to get people to get a professional tree work opinion because we are specialists, so we should seek specialized help from medical people, not only go with the advice from other people that have wrist/ hand problems.