I just started having carpal tunnel... I wanted to know if is this commun between cake decorators and how do you manage it?

I had what I thought was carpal tunnel, but it was numbness raidating down from my bad shoulders. I hunch over the counter all day, and it makes your shoulder muscles stretch the wrong way, then it causes numbness in your hands.

Carpal tunnel is pretty common if you use your hands all day, but it could be simpler than that. If it's just started you could try some stretching of the shoulders, and standing up straight with your shoulders back (posture!) to see if that helps.

I'm on the computer at work all day, and decorating in the evenings, I have it in my right wrist badly!!!!

Oh yah! Any type of activity you do that is repeditive will give it to you. Working on computers, mail sorters, cake decorators all have that problem. Even kids that are gamers are getting it from holding the controllers too long.
What sucks for me is that mine starts at my elbow and I have big problems with my whole are going numb at night when I sleep. Between that and the knots in my neck and shoulders I have a horrible time sleeping.
But my sister went through the surgery and let me tell you, she said she would rather go through the knumbness then the operation again. It was THAT bad.

Absolutely, repetitive motion. Squeezing the bag especially with stiff icing. I tell my students carpal tunnel is one of the reasons not to overfill your icing bag.

Typing alot can cause it.

Try a roller blading brace, that worked for me. I wore mine at night to give the hand a chance to relax.

I had it, and I let it get so bad that I had to have surgery first on the right hand then a few weeks later in my left hand.

Mine was from the decorating bags, but since I had the surgery I have not had any problems.

My doctor told me to use a glove that has the fingers cut off, and I bought it and used it for awhile but then I quit using them.

I am a nurse and it is very important that you get treated by a physician BEFORE you get to the point of needing surgery. There are specific exercises you can do and sometimes an injection by a hand specialist is all some people need. You can check in the yellow pages in your area to see if there is a medical supply store - they will have wrist braces you can wear at night that may help with some of your symptoms. The key is EARLY TREATMENT!

I had it when I was pregnant, as it can become more common with the joints loosening. It was a pain.

I feel for any one who has it. I know there are exercises for it. I remember seeing some on a butchers website but now can't find it.

My sister swears by the Alexander technique which is a natural therapy and is all about the way you hold your body to get the best out of it. Her orchestra pays for her lessons as it is an occupational health and safety issue the way they stand. They don't want any of their musicians to get aches and pains. LUCKY!

I have also seen some articles regarding carpal tunnel starting from the neck and shoulders and how we hold our body.

http://www.safecomputingtips.com/articles/carpal-tunnel-begins.html

In addition to my previous entry, don't let anyone scare you about surgery - as with any surgery, everyone has to tell you their horror stories. The majority of people do very well with carpal tunnel release, but as with anything else, it is very individualized.