Tendonitis vs. Carpal Tunnel

[pocahontas]

What is the difference between the two? FWIW, I don't think I've ever had either. (Well, maybe once when I had some wrist pain long ago that went away and hasn't been back for years.) But now I know I do have something seriously going on because my wrists will sometimes feel numb after I've been typing on the computer. Or I'll have this tingling that radiates into my fingers. A couple of times I've had to type with one had because there's been some pain accompanying these symptoms. When I told DH I think I had carpal tunnel (which is all I'd ever heard these symptoms to mean) he told me he thought it was tendonitis and he heard that the cure is surgery. :confused: WTH?! Can someone elaborate on the differences and how one might know which is their affliction? :o Thanks!

*MODS: I didn't see a thread like this but I apologize if I missed it somewhere...feel free to direct me.*

[kindermom]

I had wrist/finger tingling many years ago.When I went to my primary care doc they did a nerve conduction test in the office to determine if it was CT or tendonitis. It was slightly uncomfortable but only took a few minutes for him to tell me it was most likely tendinitis. I had about 3 months of PT and the pain went away for the most part. No surgery was needed.

[pocahontas]

Thanks Kindermom!

[AmandaLeigh]

I had tendonitis from over use at work (not computer use). I had had pain frequently, but not any numbness, although I did get severe shooting pains from just above my wrist to my finger tips. I ened up getting diagnosed when I attempted to pull a paper towel off the roll and my tendon got stuck between the bones of my wrist. The DR. did not run any tests as the swelling in my tendon was visible. I had to wear a wrist immobilizer until the swelling went down and the tendon could slide from between the bones without damage, and was told to take it very easy. No surgery, no meds (other than advil), no PT.

[DelSol]

I get tendonitis when I use certain muscles a lot and the movement is repetitious. For example, scrubbing the bathroom tub, that motion done for a long period of time will flare my tendonitis up. My wrist gets swollen and I have pain that will radiate from my shoulder to my finger tips. The pain sucks, I've been told to take Advil, ice it for 20 minutes and keep it elevated. I also get it in my foot, which make is hard to walk on and I will get if we've had warm weather to very cold weather and so on. Your muscles are contracting with the warm and cold weather and that's how I got it in my foot, I was told to do the 3 things above, plus to not be on my foot a lot.

I don't know much about carpal tunnel, I know my mom has it and it can be painful. I found this from the Mayo Clinic:
Carpal tunnel syndrome typically starts gradually with a vague aching in your wrist that can extend to your hand or forearm. Other common carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms include:


Tingling or numbness in your fingers or hand, especially your thumb, index, middle or ring fingers, but not your little finger. This sensation often occurs while driving a vehicle or holding a phone or a newspaper or upon awakening. Many people "shake out" their hands to relieve their symptoms.


Pain radiating or extending from your wrist up your arm to your shoulder or down into your palm or fingers, especially after forceful or repetitive use. This usually occurs on palm side of your forearm.

A sense of weakness in your hands and a tendency to drop objects.

A constant loss of feeling in some fingers. This can occur if the condition is advanced.

Now that I read that list, I could have a mild case if Carpal Tunnel in my wrists but my doctor was insisting it was tendonitis.