Do you have a job that requires you to make the same motions with your hands and arms all day? Do you have a hobby like this that you indulge in daily? Things like this can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms can include chronic pain, weakness, swelling, numbness, and tingling in the wrists, hands and elbows. Many people get surgery to relieve the pain, but there are other ways to treat it.
But is carpal tunnel syndrome worth having surgery over? Carpel tunnel syndrome is essentially the compression of the median nerve that travels the length of the arm. It actually becomes compressed at the point at the wrist where the transverse carpal ligament binds the ligaments of your arm together. It is the repeated motions of your job that cause this type of compression, as well as a hardening of the soft tissue of the hands.
It could be worth having surgery if nothing else has worked up to this point. Many who type at the keyboard, throw a baseball or work construction for a living cannot afford to be down for too long. For them, surgery may be an option but the recuperation time can be longer than 6 weeks. The cost itself is incredibly price, upwards of $10,000! That's right, you need some serious medical insurance to cover that bill.
The surgery itself is not very difficult and is considered a "light surgery". It can be done with a twilight anesthetic and is as un-invasive as a surgery can be. However, any surgery can be risky no matter where it is. The hand is a delicate part of the body and one should be careful when considering having surgery on it.
Carpal tunnel surgery consists of the surgeon cutting the transverse carpal ligament. Severing this ligament completely relieves the pressure on the median nerve immediately. While this can bring instant relief, the ligament needs to heal, so you will probably not be able to go right back to work. Once your wrist is healed, you should experience less discomfort and a better range of motion, but there is a good chance that you will lose some of the strength in your hand.
Thankfully, there are ways of relieving your symptoms and even healing your carpal tunnel syndrome without surgery. Physical therapists and some websites can provide some exercises you can do to loosen or relax the transverse carpal ligament. Doing this will take pressure off the median nerve. To keep the soft tissue of your hand tension-free, you can get your hands massaged. Keeping an eye on your ergonomics and posture to ensure they are good is another way to keep tension off your wrists and hands.
It might come as a shock that these other methods for preventing and curing carpal tunnel syndrome exist, but they do. Be careful when considering surgery because the results are not always predicable, and you can end up in a much worse situation than when you started.
But is carpal tunnel syndrome worth having surgery over? Carpel tunnel syndrome is essentially the compression of the median nerve that travels the length of the arm. It actually becomes compressed at the point at the wrist where the transverse carpal ligament binds the ligaments of your arm together. It is the repeated motions of your job that cause this type of compression, as well as a hardening of the soft tissue of the hands.
It could be worth having surgery if nothing else has worked up to this point. Many who type at the keyboard, throw a baseball or work construction for a living cannot afford to be down for too long. For them, surgery may be an option but the recuperation time can be longer than 6 weeks. The cost itself is incredibly price, upwards of $10,000! That's right, you need some serious medical insurance to cover that bill.
The surgery itself is not very difficult and is considered a "light surgery". It can be done with a twilight anesthetic and is as un-invasive as a surgery can be. However, any surgery can be risky no matter where it is. The hand is a delicate part of the body and one should be careful when considering having surgery on it.
Carpal tunnel surgery consists of the surgeon cutting the transverse carpal ligament. Severing this ligament completely relieves the pressure on the median nerve immediately. While this can bring instant relief, the ligament needs to heal, so you will probably not be able to go right back to work. Once your wrist is healed, you should experience less discomfort and a better range of motion, but there is a good chance that you will lose some of the strength in your hand.
Thankfully, there are ways of relieving your symptoms and even healing your carpal tunnel syndrome without surgery. Physical therapists and some websites can provide some exercises you can do to loosen or relax the transverse carpal ligament. Doing this will take pressure off the median nerve. To keep the soft tissue of your hand tension-free, you can get your hands massaged. Keeping an eye on your ergonomics and posture to ensure they are good is another way to keep tension off your wrists and hands.
It might come as a shock that these other methods for preventing and curing carpal tunnel syndrome exist, but they do. Be careful when considering surgery because the results are not always predicable, and you can end up in a much worse situation than when you started.
About the Author:
Most medical professionals and insurance companies insist on sufferers of carpal tunnel syndrome trying alternative methods of treatment in easing their symptoms before trying carpal tunnel surgery. This is because CTS surgery is known for being an ineffective treatment. Learn all you can about natural, non-invasive treatments before considering surgery.
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