The Down Side of Carpal Tunnel Surgery

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by Tom Nicholson

If you are one of the many people who grind it out on the computer each day or work with your hands a lot, you surely have developed some stiffness and pain at various points in your career. It may be that the problem nagged for awhile and went away, or might have even spanned only a few hours. You may have brushed up against carpal tunnel syndrome.

As the number of personal computers owned has risen, so has the number of cases of carpel tunnel syndrome. If you are among the victims and have consulted with a physician about your condition, you may be facing the prospect of surgery. Understanding what is involved in carpal tunnel surgery may help you make this difficult decision.

Your hands, fingers and wrists are able to perform the motions they do because of the nerves and ligaments that run through them. They are hard at work when you are. But when they are overworked, the median nerve in your wrist may become compressed. Repetitive motion causes the transverse carpel ligament to tighten creating pressure and discomfort, thus the name carpel tunnel syndrome. When surgery is performed, it is done to relieve the pressure on the median nerve.

The surgery itself is very simple and is done while the patient is under twilight anesthesia. The surgeon makes a small incision in the palm of your hand and then proceeds to cut the transverse carpel ligament. This causes and immediate lessening of pressure and pain for the patient. However, there is some recuperation time needed as the transverse carpel ligament will need time to heal and scar over. This generally leaves more room for the other ligaments and also should alleviate the pressure on the median nerve.

But is surgery right for you? You probably know that any surgery is risky. With carpel tunnel syndrome surgery, you can’t be entirely sure that the symptoms won’t soon return or that other problems may occur such as loss of strength in your hands or arms. Also, as you are dealing with many small nerves, muscles and ligaments in this area, the outcome is completely unpredictable. And on top of that, the price of carpel tunnel surgery can cost up to $10,000. So, you have to ask yourself if the surgery is worth it to you.

Because of the risks and expense involved in a surgical procedure, most physicians will first recommend alternate forms of treatment. Studies have shown that alternative methods can work very well. One such method is physical therapy. A physical therapist can teach a person suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome how to exercise the afflicted area to help loosen the transverse carpal ligament and develop strength and flexibility to the arm. They can also suggest different ways to perform repetitive motions to avoid injury. A few appointments with a physical therapist will be beneficial regardless of whether or not you opt for surgery.

Many people feel that surgery is a quick easy fix for carpal tunnel syndrome. But it may not be as simple as that. In most surgical procedures the risks involved demand careful consideration and carpel tunnel surgery is no exception.

About the Author:

The pain of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can make people desperate enough to take drastic measures in trying to ease their pain. Find out what doctors already know about carpal tunnel surgery that they might not tell you. There are alternatives!

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