Carpal Tunnel Surgery
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that is painful at best and crippling at worst. Pressure put on the median nerve in the forearm results in the all too familiar sensations of tingling, numbness, and sharp pain that many sufferers experience. While many are able to hold the symptoms at bay with wrist braces, steroid injections, and activity changes, there are some chronic cases in which carpal tunnel surgery is an inevitable choice.
When is your carpal tunnel surgery so bad that it constitutes surgery? Typically this is when all other methods have failed and your pain is too much to bear. However, it's important to make sure that you are absolutely sure that your doctor has made the right diagnosis before making any decisions. All too often, patients undergo carpal tunnel surgery, only to discover that the symptoms haven't abated and that the problem lies elsewhere.
The surgery itself is very simple. It usually takes no more than a few hours, and in most cases you are allowed to return home the same day. After you are dosed with anesthetic, the doctor makes a small incision in your wrist that will relieve the pressure on the median nerve. In other cases, the incision is made in the palm.
While the benefits of carpal tunnel surgery are tenfold, there are risks involved. At the very least, you may experience scarring in the places of incision. Sometimes there are reactions to the pain medication administered as well. These include shivering, nausea, and general disorientation. These symptoms usually fade within a few hours, however.
Some of the more severe side effects of carpal tunnel surgery is permanent damage to the nerves or tendons, resulting in immobility or loss of sensation. There is also a considerable risk of infection, especially if you are suffering from other illnesses at the time of surgery, such as diabetes. For these reasons, carpal tunnel surgery is considered to be a last resort option.
While the risks are many, the benefits of this surgery are more than worth it for many. While recovering from the procedure, keeping your wrist in a split will help keep the area immobilized and prevent your stitches from coming undone. While recovering, be sure to exercise your wrist and fingers in slow, simple movements, however. This will increase circulation toward the area and strengthen the muscles and tendons. With any luck, you should be able to recover with little to no complications.
