Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery Doesn’t Fix the Problem
Posted on July 17, 2009
Filed Under Physical Therapy | Leave a Comment
Did you know there are many natural ways to prevent and even cure carpal tunnel syndrome? It may surprise you, but the pain and discomfort your hands and wrists are giving you can be worked out through some basic physical therapy techniques and hand/wrist stress relief. With this in mind, can you believe that many people choose surgery over natural alternatives?
The first thing that you are going to need to consider is what carpal tunnel syndrome really is. This is a condition that essentially results from the performance of a series of motions with your hands time and time again. You can get carpal tunnel syndrome from things like working on an assembly line, typing, knitting, sewing, or any number of other activities. Too many people will ignore the annoying pain until it is intense, and things like bad posture and no attention paid to ergonomics can worsen the condition. Before you think about moving on to surgery to fix it, consider a few things.
The physiology of carpel tunnel syndrome-in the wrist-is a key to understanding how and why carpel tunnel syndrome occurs. The problem occurs when the median nerve in the wrist becomes compressed and aggravated. This compression occurs due to the tightening of the transverse carpel ligament that encircles the other ligaments that run in parallel down your arm. This bundle gives you the strength in your hands. Surgery for carpel tunnel syndrome seeks to lessen the pressure being put on the median nerve by the transverse carpel ligament.
The surgery itself is relatively simple and is done while the patient is under a light anesthesia. The surgeon makes a small incision in the palm of your hand and then proceeds to cut the transverse carpel ligament. Sounds harsh! Well, it is! 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.
One thing that you should think about is that the surgery can take more than six weeks to heal from, and the price for the surgery, which ranges between five thousand and ten thousand dollars, will certainly put a dent in your funds. The incredible thing is that some people will go ahead and proceed with the surgery without even thinking about what other options are available to them.
Before you take the step of signing up for surgery, you’ll find that there are plenty of other soothing techniques for you to try. Look at massages that you can have done that will keep the soft tissues in your hand from putting pressure on the nerve, and there are stretches that you can do as you work that will keep your ligaments from being so tight. This simple exercise can make all the difference in the world, as can maintaining good posture and making sure that you take periodic breaks from what you were doing.
Surgery is a last resort; it should not be the first thing you try, so look elsewhere for answers!
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