Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and Surgery at a Glance

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the cause of apparent symptoms, like tingling and numbness in your fingers (except for pinky fingers), wrist, and hand. This pain is caused by pressure or irritation being placed frequently on your median nerve that runs from your forearm through the carpal tunnel in your wrist to your ring finger, middle finger, index finger, and thumb.

Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome

“Carpal” means wrist, while “tunnel” refers to a protective tube that houses your median nerve as it passes through your wrist. When your carpal tunnel is compressed, it causes pressure on your median nerve. People suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome are traditionally those who have occupations requiring heavy use of their fingers and arms, like those working all day in front of a computer.

However, carpal tunnel syndrome can easily develop from other things, like hand swelling from pregnancy fluid retention. Physical therapy and at-home treatments can be a solution for mild cases of carpal tunnel syndrome. Still, in other cases, surgery is the only solution to prevent permanent disability and relieve chronic symptoms of CTS. During the operation, an orthopedic surgeon in Deland cuts open and widens the carpal tunnel to release median nerve pressure. Next, we will discuss some of the symptoms that might indicate a need for surgery on your carpal tunnel.

Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms

Doctors recommend orthopedic surgery when chronic symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are not improving after conservative treatments. It is crucial to act quickly. Otherwise, the muscles and nerves could have irreparable damage. This means that if you are still experiencing tingling, numbness, and pain after following your physician’s recommendations closely and your CTS symptoms are not improving in any way, you should let your physician know as quickly as possible. An orthopedic surgeon may recommend CTS surgery to avoid permanent damage to the nerves in your fingers, wrist, and hand.

How long you should wait before deciding to have the surgery.

Six months is plenty of time to exhaust any conservative treatment options and determine whether they produce lasting and desired results. It is far too long if you wait a year in most cases. Weakening of the fingers and hands is a marked sign of progressing nerve damage. Patients often find difficulty gripping objects like computer mouses, phones, and doorknobs.

Carpal tunnel release surgery in Deland.

Carpal tunnel syndrome release surgery to open up the space in your carpal tunnel is a relatively fast procedure and typically takes less than an hour to perform. This procedure requires a commonly short recovery period before you start to notice symptom improvement and regain your hand’s function. It will help prevent future disability and allow you to have relief from CTS symptoms to live a normal lifestyle and continue doing the things you love.
If you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms that are not relieved by conservative treatments like wearing a wrist brace, contact an orthopedic surgeon in Deland. Our specialists help alleviate your pain and get you back to enjoying everyday life again. Call us today for more information.