13-year-old fracture causes problems

September 24, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: About 13 years ago, I fractured my humerus in multiple places. The fracture was cast only and did not heal properly. If you run your finger up my arm, you can feel where the bones are misaligned.

I have always had pain in this arm, but for the past five or so years, I have had numbness in my hand that is getting worse. Within the past year, I’ve had sharp pains in my forearm, almost like someone is splitting the bone in two. I’m concerned that if I mention this to my PCP, he will just want to prescribe me a painkiller and send me on my way, possibly labeling me a drug seeker.
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Carpal-tunnel treatment

February 24, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 64-year-old female with carpal-tunnel syndrome in my right hand. I wear a wrist splint when I go to bed. For many years, it hasn’t been too much of a nuisance, but over the past few months, about once every seven to 10 days, I have an episode of painful numbness that takes more than a half-hour to go away. The incidents happen at night while I am sleeping. I have to get out of bed and try to shake the numbness away. I have also tried running hot water from the faucet over my hands, but it still takes a long time to subside.

I do have numbness in my hand during the day, but it is not as intense. It occurs when I apply my makeup, style my hair, write, drive and a few times it has happened while playing tennis. Is there anything short of surgery that can be done? [Read more...]

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