It is diagnosed officially by a neurologist through nerve conduction studies (they give you shocks in your arms to see if the nerves are working correctly--not as bad as it sounds). I was diagnosed pretty late so I had to have surgery and that was done by a plastic surgeon. (I had it for about 6 years and played 5 hours + a day and completed my B.Mus before going to a doctor).

Your thumb and 1st finger get numb and you hand becomes weak and it bcame painful and difficult to hold pens, open doors, etc, especially after playing

"did you have nerve conduction studies done?"

No, I haven`t. I should look into having it done. My fingers go numb easily and my wrist tends to hurt quite a bit.

I have to back off playing the flute at times, but found ways to make it more comfortable to play. I have made key extensions and put the soft side of sticky Velcro in two places where I hold my flute.

Sometimes I think that it would be much more comfortable to play on one of those upRite headjoints.
http://www.flutestraightup.com/index.html

I had the nerve conduction studies done when I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel years ago. I didn`t think it was particularly pleasant. Do they still use needles? I`m not even sure what was worse, the needles or the whole twitchy arm shock thing.

I ended up on anti-imflammatory meds and wrist splints for a year. I managed to avoid surgery. And now I don`t lean on my wrists while using the keyboard or mouse.

I went to a neuroligist and they did some nerve conduction testing which was EXTREMELY unpleasent. They don`t use needles with the conduction test, but they did do another nerve test, where they put needles into muscles all down your arm--but I think that was because my left arm was weaker as a result of whatever was wrong with my wrist. He diagnosed me with mild carpal tunnel, and I wear a brace whenever I am not playing my flute. For me, all my fingers were numb because of the carpal tunnel...I think it would be different for everyone depending on where the nerve was compressed.

I never had needles, just the shcoks, which weren`t too too bad

My bad, the test I had was the electromyography test: "A fine needle is inserted into a muscle; electrical activity viewed on a screen can determine the severity of damage to the median nerve." It wasn`t fun. And it wasn`t just one needle, it was a series of needles from my shoulder to each of my fingers.

Yeah, I had that done along with the nerve conduction test (electric shocks). I agree; Not fun at all!

Have you seen you physician yet?