When to Seek Surgical Care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
May 23, 2021 -- Posted by :Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the wrist. One treatment option available to patients is carpal tunnel release surgery, which severs the carpal tunnel ligament to reduce pressure on the affected nerve to resolve the numbness, pain, tingling, and weakness symptoms associated with CTS. When is a surgical treatment for CTS necessary and when should a non-surgical option be pursued?
The short answer is that surgery should only be considered as the first option in an emergency situation, such as a serious wrist fracture that pinches the median nerve. Beyond that, treatment guidelines generally advise patients to exhaust non-surgical, conservative approaches before consulting with a surgeon. Aside from potentially higher healthcare costs and a prolonged recovery, surgery also carries the risk for serious complications. Another thing to consider is that the current research suggests that jumping straight to surgery may not necessarily produce better long-term outcomes than non-surgical treatment options.
In one randomized clinical trial, researchers recruited 120 female CTS patients to receive either surgery or a conservative treatment approach that involved manual therapies. The research team evaluated each patient after one month, three months, six months, and one year. In the short term—one month and three months—the results favored the conservative approach. However, both groups reported similar outcomes after six months and one year.
The same research team repeated the study with another group of female CTS patients and reported similar results. In the short term, conservative care achieved greater results while both approaches had similar outcomes over the long term.
A systemic review that looked at results from ten studies involving patients with confirmed CTS in one or both hands came to a similar conclusion. The review found that non-surgical care provided more satisfying results in the short term with both approaches achieving similar results over time.
While these studies show that conservative treatment to reduce pressure in the carpal tunnel is an effective option for the CTS patient, doctors of chiropractic will also examine the full course of the median nerve to identify other places it may be compressed, such as the neck, shoulder, and elbow. Median nerve compression in these areas can often co-occur with CTS and will need to be addressed to achieve a satisfactory result.
So, if you are experiencing wrist pain, numbness, hand weakness, and carpal tunnel symptoms and you type in pain management near me, you may find Coast Chiropractic Centers with Dr. Timothy Harcourt, me, comes up.
You may wonder, “Do I need an MRI scan of my neck or wrist.”?
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
You may have a “funny feeling like a numbness frequently called paresthesia. Even a handshake may be painful or weak. Some people have prescribed chemicals that may temporarily reduce the numbness but not fixing the problem. The numbing in the fingers can be annoying and even debilitating.
Also, if you feel arm pain it may indicate things are getting worse and may indicate a bulge on the disc or worse yet a herniated disc in your neck. Persistent or worsening pain intensity and/or frequency necessitates a visit to see a professional.
Call me, Dr. Tim Harcourt, at (239) 278-3344 and mention this article for an awesome discounted first visit to include history, exam, and adjustment or Class IV high-intensity laser treatment.