wrist pain

[dmballer]

I've been lifting for the last 3 months and I've noticed the higher weights I get into, I get a sharp pain into my right wrist once I release the weights. the pain is on the top and bottom of the left side of my wrist.   I have this problem whenever i put any stress on it like barbell curls and preacher curls.  I used to get the pain farther up right around the middle of the forearm but now it has moved to the wrist area. the injury occured 3 weeks ago when i was maxing out on incline bench press. I did all my sets pain free until i went to rack the bar on my final set. On this particular bench the bar is racked above and behind your head. I went to the health center and they wrapped my wrist and diagnosed it as tendonitis and that i should rest it for a couple of days. needless to say i still fell shooting pain when i do any resisted curling motion.  I am lost, I have taken time thinking it was a pulled muscle or tendonitos or so I thought and started up and the pain is there again.  I have tried a wrist brace and yeah it does help a tiny bit but I still get the pain after a set.  If it helps I do not get this pain at all when I do any pushing movements- bench, military press etc..... it just seems whenever I am doing something straight out in front of me, curls, tricep press down, pretty much anytime I curl or have to curl my wrist slighty. i have also noticed a change in my sleep pattern since the incident, troubles falling and staying asleep. any help toward me getting back in the gym would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[LazyMoose]

You need to differentiate between nerve pain (tingling sharp electrical sensations) or muscle and or tendinitis.

Nerve pain can start at the carpel tunnel in the wrist or it can start under the collar bone if its pinched there. - the feeling will be the same - in the wrist and hands, not at the collar bone.

Outside fingers are the ulnar nerve, thumb and pointer finger are the median nerve, palm of hand is the radial nerve (not to common). The all travel from the neck area under the collar bone to the hands. And any inflamed muscle or tendon along the way can push on the nerve, and you will feel it in your hands.

Tendons in the wrist will feel like overtightened base guitar strings if that is the issue. One scare tissue is built up they are never the same. I wear wrist wraps just a little higher than my wrist to aid in over extending wrist and thumb tendons when working out. Wear wrist/hand splints at night.

And you may have small, very tight muscle knotting in the forearm aggravating nerves or tendons. Intense pressure must be applied to these areas to flush out lactic acid allowing fresh flow of nutrients to begin the healing process. Its called trigger point release.

Its detective time for you.

[harrald]

You may have or approaching carpal-tunnel syndrome. I suffered carpal-tunnel-syndrome for   years before having an operation on both wrists. When I was working, I had to present written reports each week for years. Plus, carrying my attache case was a big factor in my pain. Think about holding a pen with your thrumb and index finger for hours; grip and hold the handle of your attache case when the case is always heavy. It may be that the way you grip and hold free weights for extended time is causing you to develop carpal-tunnel-syndrome and not know it. The pain never occurred when I was using my wrists but ,at night when I was trying to sleep,  so I was surprised to learn I had damaged my wrists for years. Musicians who play string instruments damage their wrists also. There may be help for you.I had carpal-tunnel syndrome 10 years ago, and since the operations, no pain. Ten years ago, Naproxen Sodium was a prescribed medication. Today, Naproxen Sodium is the main ingredient in the OTC Aleve. Aleve is so potent, it can burn your stomach lining if it is not followed with a glass of liquid, whether water, juice, cola, milk. I use Aleve today for muscle pain. Why not do an experiment on yourself and use Aleve. The daily maximum dosage is three tablets or soft-gels a day. I would suggest your using Aleve for 5 to 7 days, three times a day, and judge the results. When I had CTS, Naproxen Sodium might have been stronger, because I stopped the wrist pain for three years until it return, and I had operations on my wrists.

Harrald