Are carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel common in CFS?
Dr. T,
I have CFS, and recently I found out that I have both carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel on both arms. My orthopedic surgeon told me this only happens to old people, but I'm in my late twenties. Could this have something to do with my CFS? What can I do to improve this? I already wear wrist splints at night. Thank you!
Answer
Actually carpal tunnel syndrome is fairly common in fibromyalgia, occurring in almost a third of cases. The same factors that trigger that can trigger other compression issues. In old people, it may occur because of severe arthritic changes. In younger people with CFS, it tends to be associated with inadequate thyroid function (despite normal blood tests), and vitamin B6 deficiency. In my patients, I give Armour Thyroid plus vitamin B6 200 mg a day (along with the night time wrist splint) and this usually helps resolve the problem in 6 to 12 weeks.
Love and blessings,
Dr. T
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. His newest book (June 10, 2024) is You Can Heal From Long COVID. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.
