'what is cts?'

I'm sorry about going on and on about it but once again this is about cts - Carpal Tunnel Syndrom

But this time it's not for my sake, it's for OTHERS sake. Because since I've gotten this I'm surpriced by the amount of people -ESPECIALLY other artists- who have NO idea what it is!

It is a HORRIBLE thing to suffer through as an artist, I wish people could be more aware of it because artists ARE in the riskzone of getting it. It doesn't mean that you WILL get it in the future or anything, I'm just saying that it's (sadly) a big possibility. It's even a bigger chance that you might get it if you are a woman.

So I'm just writing this to maybe make some people more aware of what it is. I am just talking out of my own perspective and some usual symptoms, but it is pretty easy to find information about it online if you just google it!

No mather if anyone reads it or not I still think it's worth to at least MENTION it, who knows, it might help someone out there?

So to start with the most Obvious thing:

-If you get tired by drawing - TAKE A BREAK.

I know everyone is saying it, but you don't understand until you are in a situation like this JUST how important it is to take those breaks and stretch your hands and everything.

I ignored when my hand got tired and kept on working until my hand started going numb and started aching.

I still didn't let it rest enough.

Now this isn't anything that started suddenly, I have had it like that for AGES but it wasn't until 3 months ago that it "finally" burst out and have left my right hand nearly compleatly useless to me.

I don't even think I have to mention that you would NOT want this to happen.

-If your hand start to go numb or tingle while drawing that's NOT a good sign, that's a sign that the nerves inside the carpal tunnel are getting pressed together (if I have understood this right) and not being able to function properly. If this happens - slow things down, take long breaks, consider getting a handbrace to keep your hand in the "right" angle to prevent this from getting worse. Also keeping your wrist warm might help!

-If your hand starts to hurt/go numb during sleep (to the degree that you wake up from it and/or have a hard time sleeping) that's pretty much a sign that you might already have cts, that means it is time to go and talk with a doctor OR -once again- try to wear a handbrace every now and then, even consider wearing one during the night.

It IS uncomfortable at the beginning and it might be hard to sleep with them on, but they DO help as they help you keep your hand steady during sleep. You automatically tend to crook your wrist during sleep which has the same effect as mentioned before - your nerves get "blocked" which causes the symptoms.

Now also consider how many hours you sleep every night, like 6-8 hours? that's a VERY good chance to let your hand rest while being in the "correct" angle!

-For some people it might be cured on their own, not by any medicine but by taking things easy and letting your hand rest enough. IF this doesn't work there IS a high chance that a doctor would want you to go through with an operation which could be worth a shot.

BUT- Keep in mind what they do - they slit open your carpal tunnel so that the nerves will be more free which will take away a lot of the pain, but there IS a high chance that it WILL come back in the future.

As I have mention I'm gonna try light therapy and massage, this does work for some and it means that you might not only be cured, but you do NOT have to worry about an operation that may or may not help, or in some cases, even make things worser. I can't say myself until next week if it has had any effect on me personally, but I do hope it will work!

-IF you feel you have the symptoms mentioned here, consider using your other hand for doing stuff, you DO have two hands after all. BUT keep in mind that your other hand - your non dominant hand - usually gets tired MUCH quicker than your dominant hand. Do NOT overwork it because you risk getting cts in BOTH hands if you are unlucky.

That's what happened to me, I HAVE overworked my left hand which led to getting cts in both hands.

This ended up much longer than I thought it would and I could STILL go on and on about it because I couldn't warn people enough about it. As I started out it's a HORRIBLE thing to go through as an artist and I hope this will at least make SOMEONE out there more aware of what it is.

-as stated in the beginning, I'm talking about my own experience and common symptoms, people can have different symptoms and experiences of it. Even my own mother has different symptoms than I have as she "only" suffers from her hands going numb.

this was originally uploaded on my tumblr valerei.tumblr.com/post/132629… I think it IS worth spreading out, more people NEED to know about this. That's why I'm uploading it here as well