Finding the right carpal tunnel syndrome treatment: Jim’s journey and 'best night’s sleep in 40 years'

(BPT) - Imagine not being able to use your hands due to debilitating wrist pain, numbness or weakness. For the more than 13 million people diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, including 81-year-old Jim McCrea, this is a daily reality. Jim struggled with carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands for more than 40 years. Prior to retiring, he worked in construction, often breaking up cement manually using drills and power hammers. The relentless vibration of those tools took a toll. He also served in the Navy as an electrician, where he used his hands extensively.

His symptoms were especially prominent at night. "By the time I got into my 40s, I wasn't sleeping at night," says Jim. "The tingling and numbness would wake me up and both arms felt like they were dead." He tried everything to get back to sleep. He would shake his arms, hit them against a wall and even submerge them in ice trying to regain normal sensation.