Numb Hand From Mig Welding

[seattle smitty]

I developed a forearm problem after a short period of heavy bashing on steel with a BFH. I was highly skeptical about B-12, but took it daily for a month. When I saw that I was running out of pills, I also observed that my symptoms had been considerably alleviated. Just coincidence? I can't say.

Since the problem involves inflamed tissues that swell and rub on each other (which makes them swell and rub even worse), my practice was to try to shrink the swelling with COLD, specifically, one of those re-freezable "ice" bags. These are also wonderful, first thing in the morning, for getting my old, abused lower back in shape for the days activities . . . .

[safetydave]

SafetyDave: You are exactly right, vitamin B12 can help. My omission. I should have mentioned vitamin B12 as a treatment to try. I used it for a number of years and it did help. CAUTION: be sure to read up on the dosage to use. If I recall, taking too much B12 can be harmful.

MTBob just to let you and the rest of the guys know the brand I take of vituman B is from SPring Valley and its B50 (timed release) in a green and yellow bottle.

Like I said before I've used all the splints and wraps with my hands because it was so bad and also with tig welding it was real bad to when I welded I could feel the changes in the electrical current flowing through my hands to were I couldn't grip the filler rod so best of luck to you in your case.

[FABMAN]

thanks for all your input guys..

i am still experimenting. LOL.

i bought an ace bandage with a suppot glove form walgreens over the weekend. while welding i have the ace bandage wrapped around my wrist. monday at night before going to bed, i put on the tight fitting supportive glove. woke up around 2am for my usual bathroom break, and my right hand was not numb, and did not hurt. so i took it off before trying to go back to sleep. but within 5 minutes it was numb and hurting agian, tot he point where it takes me 1 hour to fall back to sleep.

so on tuesday night i did the same thing, except after my bathroom break, i kept the glove on the rest of the night. fell back to sleep fast and no numbness or pain when i woke up. took the glove off to eat breakfast, and other than not being able to make a tight fist, it was good.

like i said, about 1 hour after i wake up, and all day at work welding and grinding and lifting up heavy parts, the wrist is fine. just at night while in bed and waking up in the middle of the night.

gonna keep wearing the support glove and see what happens. could it be something to do with the tight glove ? seems to be.

also, i got one of those wrist bands with magnets in it. my friend swears by his, so i will give one a try..... i would think that after a few weeks of using this heavy python mig gun, that i would be use to it by now...
if it persists, i will go and see my doctor..

thanks again...

[paulrbrown]

FAbman, I just had a thought, I use my gun with the trigger on top by rotating the nozzle 180. Now I use my thumb to trigger it, can you do that with the Python, it uses a different set of nerves,tendons,muscles and it has really helped me for the last 7 or so years...hope you can try, Paul

[FABMAN]

wow paul, i never thought about that.
yes, i can rotate the front portion as you said.

gonna see how it feels when wleidng tomorrow.. might take some getting use to. but it is worth a shot..thanks..

[paulrbrown]

Fabman, I know it sure helped me and even younger welders said it helped them. Can you do a trigger lock, the feeder I use, 60M has an electronic lock, hit it once and it runs, hit again and it shuts off, anything more that a few seconds and I use that to great benefit, let us know how ya feel, Paul

[FABMAN]

paul, i tries with the trigger on top, using my thumb, but could not get use to it.
my hand still hurts each night, to the point where i can not get back to sleep for over an hours, say, from 2-3am. i am at wits end, and will probably make an appointment witht he docotr for next week. but will have to see the primary doctor first, then the hand spe******t.

thansk again guys for all your suggestions, and i will report back if i find anything out fromt he doctor.

all day and even when i fall asleep, all is fine. its just when i wake up in the middle of the night that is giving me problems.

thanks..

[Broccoli1]

When you get home soak your hand in a Bucket/Bowl of Ice water.

It will get the inflammation down- do not use heat

[FABMAN]

When you get home soak your hand in a Bucket/Bowl of Ice water.

It will get the inflammation down- do not use heat

ed, do you think soaking them in ice water after work, even though they dont hurt att hat time, will help my problem out when i wake up at 2am ?

i am ready to try anything..

[Broccoli1]

ed, do you think soaking them in ice water after work, even though they dont hurt att hat time, will help my problem out when i wake up at 2am ?

i am ready to try anything..

Yes.

Same reason ya see Athletes ice up after a game.

I spent 2 months outta work because of a wicked back pain and a month in PT.

Drugs didn't help- and I tried a few- PT did wonders for ME and taught me a lot about pain

Every session started with a bag of ice on my back followed by the 'lectric treatment to the lower back.

The Ice brought the inflammation down so the nerves were no longer "Pinched"-- which was causing some serious pain.

A month was d.icking around with the Medical System. If they would have just sent me to PT in the first place, I probably would have only been out of work a month.

The joke at the studio was that since I wasn't at the Local Pub, I wasn't faking it

Go see yer DR. too.

[FABMAN]

ed,
how long do you suggest i soak my hand in ice water when i get home form work ?

should i do it exactly when i get home, or wait until i just get ready for bed ?

i would like to try something like that before i go to the doctor.

thanks again..

[Broccoli1]

When you get home- you want to get the swelling down as a soon as possible.

[PJinNJ]

Ct

I had CT in both hands after 27 years of working with them. They finally go numb and one day I picked up a hot frying pan and smelt something funny, I realized it was my hands smoking. After the burns healed I went to the doctor and he told me everything you've already read here, but in my case reccomendded surgery. I went for the surgery, had it on a thursday afternoon and was back at work on Monday morning. It was quick and easy and I even sat up while it was done so I could watch it (doctor had to approve). It was relatively painless and the surgeon really impressed me with his step by step guided tour of the inside of my wrists. It's been 9 years now and my hands are still like new. Had I known how easy this was to fix I'd have done it the first time they started tingling. See a doctor and save yourself the pain, it won't get better on it's own and you'll just postpone the inevititable.....normal hands.

[FABMAN]

cool guys, thanks.. gonna do the ice trick next week, and either hit the doctor next week also, or the following week. thanks a ton.

[Laiky]

you can get a gell coldpack (sometimes you can find one made for a body part with a method of attaching it) and throw it in freezer at work, or get a few of the chemical cold packs so you can get cold on it as soon as you finish work. 20-30 minutes (it will hurt!) and you may be pleasantly surprised.