Hi Colleen! Yes, the diagnosis is recent. But, it's not pain. I never had the pain. Just numbness. I also have CTS in the other hand, so I know what the pain is like!

When the traction pinched the median nerve, everyone "assumed" that was the cause of the problems! I just accessed my medical records from back then, and noticed that I complained of loss of sensation prior to any traction activity ever taking place! And, I found a really great article by Dr Friedhelm Sandbrink of Georgetown University, saying that arm fractures can cause acute carpal tunnel, which should be immediately operated on! They said this is "usually" from wrist fractures. Not sure if this was known "back in the day."

So, five years ago, I had a different doctor, and did not have good rapport. I was complaining of upper extremity weakness. They tried talking to me about carpal tunnel, but I was like, "no, my hand has always been that way - it's from the elbow - this HAS to be something different!" Stubborn me.

Two weird things that have happened in the past few years. First, shortly after having rotator cuff surgery on the affected arm, I was slicing strawberries, when my thumb simply fell out of the socket! I put it back in (painless), and the doctors were at a loss to explain it. More recently, after using the weedeater, the nerves/muscles around the affected elbow started twitching for about a minute, fingers started twitching, and I regained a little bit of use of that hand. Just a little.

Anyway, I just finished 8 weeks of therapy to address neck/shoulder issues, then got the EMG, so it should be the best possible results. Oh, and they also said there is axon damage. Forgot to mention that.

Thanks for the help, and I will check out the other postings!

(why am I suddenly looking into all this? Because I am trying to get my body in the best possible shape as I prepare to enter my older years, and, being that I am no longer working, have the time to actually commit to such a goal)