Misdiagnosing hand pain

**josephine** · 02-26-2010 11:55 AM

Lesson learned… You’ve just GOT to ask questions about your diagnosis.
My doctor diagnosed me with carpal tunnel syndrome when it was really repetitive strain injury. Turns out doctors frequently misdiagnose it. There's a Hand pain society that tracks problems like this and it helped me get the correct diagnosis.

If I hadn't asked questions I would have undergone unnecessary surgery. In my opinion… get a second opinion! And maybe a third! Josephine

**kitkat887** · 03-01-2010 11:23 AM

That's very good advice. I trusted one hand surgeon who immediately recommended surgery for carpal tunnel. But after 2 months, the symprotoms were still there. The doc said I should have it re-done. So I went for a second opinion and it turned out I never had that; it was a combination of RA and Dupuytren's. So I had surgery for nothing.

**SenoraJ** · 03-10-2010 03:02 PM

My 34 year old nephew Tony went to the hand pain society because he had carpal tunnel. They got him a Carpal therapist to use to get rid of his pain. He had to return it after his therapy (like 3 weeks) but what the heck... it worked for him and it was free. I've got nothing but good things to say about those people because they really did save Tony from unnecessary surgery.