Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
As some of you may know from my
recent ride through hell, coming back from Vientiane, where I had some severe carpal tunnel syndrome, losing the feeling in my hands & not being able to ride more than 20-40 kms at a time. It was time to get the definitive diagnosis, after a few months wondering what the hell was going on.
I'd consulted the bone doctor at Kasemrad Sriburin who operated on & saved my right leg from the crash last year, & his opinion that yes it seemed like carpal tunnel, but the quick tests we did at the Sriburin clinic were unclear.
On my return from that disastrous Vientiane ride I consulted
Nantawit, who replaced my left knee in 2017.
Nantawit is actually a spine specialist and I thought perhaps my hand numbness maybe coming from my neck or spine. But his opinion was no, not the neck or spine.
Coming out of Nantawit's clinic was surprised to see my orthopaedic hero, Dr Sudhee, there with his wife!!
Sudhee is well retired now, but Dr Nantawit was one of his students for orthopaedics, and his wife was having a checkup on her knee replacement that Dr Nantawit had done!
Sudhee was keen to know why I was there consulting Nantawit & did a quick check up on my condition. No it's not the neck, and it looks like carpal tunnel, but maybe not.
His recommendation, along with Nantawit then was to consult the number 1 hand guy in Chiang Mai,
Dr Kanit at his clinic.
âââââ · Medical clinic
goo.gl
A consultation with Kanit
also suggested carpal tunnel, but maybe not.
The only solution then was to undergo a sensory nerve test -
electrophysiologic - with needles & small electric shocks to determine exactly where the source of the problem was.
I got a referral for the neuro doctor at Ram hospital for the test, but Thailand was going into a one off 6-day holiday, and the good Dr was not there until after the holiday. Damn. No problem, I thought, just go to another hospital & she'll be right mate. No such luck though, McCormick, Rajavej, Lanna cannot do the test. I queued up at the government hospital for 2.5 hours to consult a neuro only to be told yes, we can do the test, but the queue waiting list is 2 months. At the government hospital in Chiang Rai, the queue was one month. I waited in Chiang Mai for a week for an appointment with the neuro only to be told come back in 2 weeks for the test @ 11,000 baht. Frustrated & disappointed, home it was to Chiang Khong to wait out the 2 weeks.
2 weeks later back in Chiang Mai for the test. 1.5 hours of needles & shocks to confirm, yes not the neck, but only carpal tunnel at the wrist. Woo-hoo we've nailed it!
The good DR
A young female doctor, educated in the UK spoke fluent English & was actually a "sanuk dee", fun test chatting as went along.
Pinpoints for nerve testing
With the test result. it was time to go back to the hand doctor Kanit, he was away again & was not free for 5 more days. I pleaded for an appointment & he graciously agreed to see me in 2-day's time, at which we agreed to do the carpal tunnel surgery in another 3 days. Finally, a winner.
A taxi to his clinic on the day, & almost straight in for surgery. No more waiting around.
A local anaesthetic, a quick "cut & a tuck" & the job is done.
I felt the needle go in for the Novacaine injection, nothing else after that, & 40 minutes later he said all finished. 3 stitches & a bandage & you're all clear to go. 5,000 baht well spent I sincerely hope.
I'm still stunned at the rapid onset on my carpal tunel syndrome problem, as a few months ago I was claiming I'd never felt better riding my Vstrom after the accident last year & was planning another
1,000 kms non-stop ride Chiang Khong - Nakhon Phanom to test out my stamina. However, looking back the last few months I recall
1. suffering poor sleep, waking up in the night with tingling or numb hands
2. thinking that both the throttle grips on my bikes - the NMax 155 scooter & the Vstrom 650 were getting too stiff. It was my hands losing feeling & not being able to grip fully & twist the throttle!
Hopefully back on the road again in 2 more weeks, after the stitches are out.
It must be time for some good luck soon!
For medical see also
As some of you probably know I've spent most of my life riding motorbikes, being in the sun & being guilty of not always using sunblock; & as life goes on it's finally starting to catch up to me - my skin is not the best as you all should have noticed. So I finally popped along to Ram...
www.gt-rider.com
