Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

[Teroniss]

Ugh, I've been painting alot over the past five years or so, and in that time, it seems I've developed CTS. Unfortunatly, due to family history, the only successful method for me to treat it will probably be surgery. (My mom had it as does my sister, and none of the other treatment types worked for them) The problem with this is that the surgery would cost me $6000 I don't have currently. *sigh* It makes me wonder if I should stop painting until I have the funds to get the surgery.

What about the rest of ya'll, anyone else have this unfortunate condition?(I imagine most of the artists who venture here, including Amber, might)

[techmaster-glitch]

...wow... I can't really think of much to say that would help, except state the obvious irony of an artist not being able to make arts...but I doubt that would help, either

My best wishes, anyway.

[Destina Faroda]

It makes me wonder if I should stop painting until I have the funds to get the surgery.

Yes, you should, or at least cut back.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome won't go away if you stop painting, but if you continue the activity at the same pace, you're only making things worse.

[Teroniss]

It makes me wonder if I should stop painting until I have the funds to get the surgery.

Yes, you should, or at least cut back.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome won't go away if you stop painting, but if you continue the activity at the same pace, you're only making things worse.

Damn that sucks.  Especially since I would like to finish my Christmas Space Marines before, well, next christmas........

[Alondro]

I have that in my right arm, which is a pain since I'm right handed.  Since I didn't want surgery to interfere with my hectic work schedule, I adapted by punching my arm up and down as hard as possible from shoulder to wrist and all around.

Then, when it became numb, I could work just fine! 

*Note:  Treatment will work only for the mentall insane, like Charles*

[Teroniss]

I have that in my right arm, which is a pain since I'm right handed.  Since I didn't want surgery to interfere with my hectic work schedule, I adapted by punching my arm up and down as hard as possible from shoulder to wrist and all around.

Then, when it became numb, I could work just fine! 

*Note:  Treatment will work only for the mentall insane, like Charles*

Hey, you use the same treatment I do for headaches.

[Raffe]

I have that in my right arm, which is a pain since I'm right handed.  Since I didn't want surgery to interfere with my hectic work schedule, I adapted by punching my arm up and down as hard as possible from shoulder to wrist and all around.

Then, when it became numb, I could work just fine! 

*Note:  Treatment will work only for the mentall insane, like Charles*

hmmm...I do a similar thing, but its use my other arm as a sledge against my hurting arm(not sure if its carpal, might just be strain)

[Jigsaw Forte]

Come on, I can't be the only person in here who knows how to treat it... I've only been cartooning a year or so!

... Anyway.

Step 1 is to Reconfigure your Workspace to reduce the range of motions you perform and increase your comfort. In the case of painting, this can be anything from getting new grips / brushes, sitting in a chair instead of standing, and altering the working angle of your canvas. Most cartoonists prefer an incline of around 5 to 45 degrees from the horizontal, which should reduce the amount of lifting needed to paint.

Step 2 is to Invest in some Wrist-Pampering Devices. Gauntlets, Sweatbands, Arm Warmers, Fingerless Gloves, whatever you call them, your wrists will appreciate them. They provide a certain amount of support and warm the wrists, which makes it less painful. As a bonus, they're in style right now. You can make your own by basically sewing up two tubes of fabric and making holes for your thumbs, but it might pay to invest a little more care in something you're going to have to look at constantly.

Step 3 is to Take Up New Art. Stupid as it sounds, a new art form will help you use your hands in new and different ways, hence reducing the general stress repetitive motion has on you. I suggest crochet / knitting, though mebbe sewing (using a machine!) might be less stress on your hands.

Keep in mind most of this is anecdotal stuff; no clue how well it will actually help you, but it's worth a shot.

[Teroniss]

Come on, I can't be the only person in here who knows how to treat it... I've only been cartooning a year or so!

... Anyway.

Step 1 is to Reconfigure your Workspace to reduce the range of motions you perform and increase your comfort. In the case of painting, this can be anything from getting new grips / brushes, sitting in a chair instead of standing, and altering the working angle of your canvas. Most cartoonists prefer an incline of around 5 to 45 degrees from the horizontal, which should reduce the amount of lifting needed to paint.

Step 2 is to Invest in some Wrist-Pampering Devices. Gauntlets, Sweatbands, Arm Warmers, Fingerless Gloves, whatever you call them, your wrists will appreciate them. They provide a certain amount of support and warm the wrists, which makes it less painful. As a bonus, they're in style right now. You can make your own by basically sewing up two tubes of fabric and making holes for your thumbs, but it might pay to invest a little more care in something you're going to have to look at constantly.

Step 3 is to Take Up New Art. Stupid as it sounds, a new art form will help you use your hands in new and different ways, hence reducing the general stress repetitive motion has on you. I suggest crochet / knitting, though mebbe sewing (using a machine!) might be less stress on your hands.

Keep in mind most of this is anecdotal stuff; no clue how well it will actually help you, but it's worth a shot.

1. Already do this. I use well gripped brushes while sitting at a workstation and hold what im paint in very careful positions.(Usually place my elbows flat to steady my arms as a whole while using the palm of the hand holding what I'm painting to steady my painting hand.

2. I have a brace like what you've mentioned but it seems to make it more uncomfortable then anything else so I dont use it much.

3. Lessee, new hobbies. Well, I already paint, I also sew(Almost had a Freudian slip there), model clay, work paper mache, draw, write, and fence. I can't think of any other hobbies to work on >.>

[Tezkat]

I suffered from similar problems many years ago. Thankfully, I worked to fix it before it got so bad as to need surgery. I gave up piano. I wore those stupid wrist braces whenever I used the computer. I got myself a comfortable ergonomic keyboard (which I still use today, actually). At one point, I even installed speech recognition software on my PC because typing had become too painful. Ever tried debugging software by voice?

I'm better now. I haven't needed the brace in ages. I still can't do heavy barbell presses, though. I take frequent breaks from the workstation to get up and stretch. If I feel my wrists acting up again, I just stop what I'm doing. It doesn't matter if I have a presentation in the morning or some guys in my base killing my doods. Saving a few pixels isn't worth the pain.

If painting aggravates your wrists, I'd suggest you stop doing it, or at least change how you do it until it doesn't hurt. Carpal Tunnel Syndrom is often caused--or at least exacerbated--by repetitive strain. The way to make it better is to stop repeatedly straining your wrists. Take care of them and give them time to heal.

[Wildy]

Question Tez. Were you ever able to pick up piano again or did you give it up completely?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I tried, but it weighs more than I do, I'm afraid.

[Tezkat]

Oh, I always had a good deadlift. Pianos aren't that heavy...

Anyway... my wrists no longer prevent me from playing, but I gave up the piano years ago. And by that, I mean I physically gave up the piano when I moved, so I don't actually have one anymore. I don't really have room for one in my appartment, either. So... I'm pretty rusty. I keep meaning to buy a nice little digital keyboard so I can take it up again, but I always seem to be spending the budget for that on something else...

[Raffe]

Once again, I dont know if its CT or just chronic pain, but today I feel alot better.

Normally, I'll spend maybe 8-12 hours at the computer, but as I got on today the power went out(around 10:30 CST). So being bored out of my mind, I took the dog on two long walks, straightened my room, searched through boxes for my art supplies, drew for a few hours, weight trained, moved stuff around in the garage and basement, and read a few manga. And just a few minutes ago, the power came back on(so it was out for ten hours).

I dont know if its the fact that I've had a greater range of motion, that I've been out in the fresh air more, or that Ive got my blood flowing more, but my arm and wrist feel better than they have in weeks.
One other difference is that I had tea instead of coffee since the power was out.

[CameronCN]

Oh, dang, I'd better lighten up before this happens to me! (It's not uncommon for me to keep drawing until I can barely hold the friggen pen when I'm trying to finish a page or a big drawing...not good...)

[Teroniss]

Well, it looks like to me, I'm going to have to get someone to finish the painting of my army, cuz I tried painting today, and my hand was shaking so bad, I dropped the brush.