After 28 year of being a medical technologist, I have recently suffered sever pain in my hands while opening and closing blood tubes and especially pediatric blood containers.  I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and DeQuervain's tendonitis.  It is definitely job related since the pain goes away during my time off.

I went to occupational health thinking all I needed was an ace bandage or something to work in.  I ended up with 3 hand surgeries, 3 1/2 months off of work and because of the surgeries, I now have decreased strength in both hands although I can now use them again for lab work.  My hand surgeon says I still need a 4th surgery - carpal tunnel release of the left hand also.

The 3 surgeries were: carpal tunnel release of the right hand, DeQuervain's release of the right hand, and DeQuervain's release of the left hand.

Have any other med techs experienced this problem???

 

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I was delighted to hear that an Occupational Health department actually agreed with the diagnosis and provided solutions.

I have been working for 40 years and have had this problem start to get really bad in the last 4 years.  The Occ Health department at my hospital stated that there are many causes and the repetition that I have been doing all these years may not be the cause! It could be due to health problems, not the cause of them.

Does anyone else read this and have any suggestions on literature to find dealing with our profession and carpal tunnel?

Mine is getting bad enough to cause me not to sleep comfortably. I will have to have the surgery, but it would be nice if the workplace that gave it to me would foot part of the bill.

I have worked at 4 different laboratories, I would say 60-70% of my co-workers have been dealing with CTS. Some have 20 years, some have 30 years working in the lab.  I believe CTS is not just caused by opening or closing the caps of specimens, it also dues to the computer works such as typing or differentiating cells using computer keyboard...

In addition to CTS, I know of many med techs that complain of the noise level from instrumental operation and other ambient noises.  I am sure that some hearing losses can be attributed to this

The Bureau of Workers Comp will perform noise assessment of your work area over an 8 hour period to look for certain levels defined by OSHA has acceptable and non-acceptable. They'll provide you with a report that includes hearing risks. Perhaps a call to them would assist you in evaluating your workplace.

In response to the CTS, I had both of my wrists/hands done about 4 years ago and it made an amazing improvement in the use of my hands at work.