Carpal Tunnel Surgery

When non-surgical treatments don’t give you relief, we can help reduce pain from carpal tunnel syndrome. In this post, you'll learn about carpal tunnel surgery and recovery.

Are you one of the 4 to 10 million Americans who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome?

Surgery is never the first option. But when splinting and injections don’t reduce your pain, surgery is the only option left.

In this post, we’ll cover some of the common questions that patients have about carpal tunnel surgery.

  • Are there non-surgical treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome?
  • What is carpal tunnel surgery?
  • What happens after carpal tunnel surgery?
  • Why choose Michigan Surgery Specialists?

Are there non-surgical treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome?

Yes. And if this is the first time that you’re researching carpal tunnel syndrome, non-surgical  treatments will be the first step for you.

Here are some of the non-surgical treatments that Michigan Surgery Specialists offer:

Splinting: You may be given a splint that holds your wrist while you sleep. When your wrist is in a bent position, carpal tunnel symptoms get worse. A splint keeps your wrist in a neutral position to reduce pain.

Corticosteroids: A doctor may inject a corticosteroid into your carpal tunnel to relive your pain. Steroids decrease swelling, and this relieves pressure on the medial nerve.

Mild to moderate symptoms from carpal tunnel can be improved without surgery. But If these more conservative treatments fail, carpal tunnel surgery is the next step.

What is carpal tunnel surgery?

Carpal tunnel surgery is also commonly called “carpal tunnel release.” During the procedure, a hand surgeon will cut the ligament that is putting pressure on the carpal tunnel.

The extra room created by cutting that ligament will reduce your pain and make movement easier.

There are two ways that carpal tunnel surgery is done. Using the traditional method, the surgeon opens up the wrist with a small incision. Using the endoscopic method, the surgeon performs the surgery using a camera and tools inserted with a tube.

With either method, you’ll receive local anesthetic to numb your hand and wrist. The procedure is completed in less than an hour. After the procedure’s completed, the surgeon will put your hand in a cast.

What happens after carpal tunnel surgery?

After surgery, you can expect 3 weeks in a cast. During that time, you might experience some pain and stiffness.

Once the cast is removed, expect 4-6 weeks of occupational therapy. In occupational therapy, you’ll learn exercises that  work on your hand and wrist movement. These exercises can speed up the healing.

Some patients report that they their hand and wrist feel weaker after the surgery. Occupational therapy will build up your strength so that you can use your hands normally.

Throughout your recovery, a hand surgeon will observe your progress to make sure that you are on the right track.

Why choose Michigan Surgery Specialists?

We don’t want to send you to multiple offices when we could keep all of our services in one location. When you choose Michigan Surgery Specialists,  you can see your doctor and therapist in the same location, sometimes in the same visit!

Don’t suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome any longer. Request an appointment with Michigan Surgery Specialists.

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Our Services

Hand Surgery

Orthopedics/ Sports Medicine and Spine

Outpatient Therapy

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