Well, it's official. I have Carpal Tunnel in my right hand. I don't have it in my left, which is great. The neurologist said that the symptoms I've been feeling in my left hand are related to the left having to work harder to compensate for weakness in the right.
Since the activity that is causing/adding to my problem is knitting - I'm super bummed. Knitting is how I unwind. It's soothing, the click of the needles and the feel of the yarn in my hands. I'm going to switch to crochet for a while and see if I still have symptoms. I have an afghan that I started last year but never finished, so I'll work on that.
It is something that runs in my family, to an extent. Those of us who do repetitive crafts for relaxation develop CTS. My grandma got it from quilting. My mum got it from doing cross-stitch. And I got it from knitting.
The neurologist said that while I can delay it with pain meds & a brace, I will need surgery eventually. He is sending the results of the tests and the diagnosis back to my PCP, and I'm supposed to discuss my options with him. If they do want me to have the surgery sooner rather than later, I'm going to see if I can't get them to hold off at least until winter. It may seem silly, but I'd rather have some forced confinement when it's too cold & nasty to go outside anyway.