Experience with Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Before opting for surgery Google carpal tunnel, Vitamin B6, calcium magnesium. This regimen is effective in a large number of sufferers. I had CTS by the biggest hand surgeon in the world about 25 years ago. My hands were my life. My surgery happened to be career ending, but most people have excellent results. The doctor told me I was about 20 years too late getting the surgery. If you have the surgery done, you must give 100% to the post surgery therapy.

I had both wrists repaired back in the mid-70s. Right hand was done as an inpatient by an orthopedic surgeon. He was a little rough but except for the black and blue forearm, I healed quickly. Instant relief from the pain of the condition itself.

Had the left wrist done about 6 months later as an outpatient by a hand surgeon. He wasn't quit as rough as the ex-fullback orthopedic guy was. Much faster recovery and no bruising. Also instant relief from the pain of the condition itself. Only lost the day of the surgery and the weekend. Went back to work in a cabinet shop on Monday with no ill effects.

Get the surgery done ASAP because the pain from it is nothing compared to the pain inflicted by the carpal tunnel. It's an easy procedure. You won't regret it.

Having to re-do one hand because you're having some problems? Get it taken care of right away if something is not working right or there is post-surgery pain that doesn't abate and disappear.

I have never had any problem with either hand for 45 years. No pain, no restrictions. Nice scars to show off once in a while though. :-)

I had severe carpal tunnel pain in both wrists years ago. I have never been a coffee drinker. All I ever drink is water and decaffeinated iced tea only.

The condition is common and a result of repetitive motion. Typing on a keyboard all day is a common cause nowadays. I got mine before computers from using a chain saw for days on end cutting firewood, using other vibrating shop tools and riding a motorcycle. It got worse when I took a job one summer as a painter. Swishing that brush back and forth all day long finally forced me to get the surgery.

The surgery is corrective and one of the easiest things medical-wise, I have ever done. Easy peasy. The doc slits your wrist, cuts the restrictive band across the carpal tunnel and sews you back up. I heals quickly and I was back to work after both surgeries after a day or two.

I had the surgery on my left dominant hand a year ago. I waited too long to have it done, tho. Altho there is no pain during the day, and at night there is no pain or total hand tingling, I still have numbness in the middle finger and the inner aspects of the index and ring fingers. Probably nerve damage. I’ve been too busy to go back to the ortho to see if anything can be done about it —— like PT. But I do press the fingers up and back so as to stretch the base of the palm. I read somewhere that that is one of the PT exercises.

My other hand is fine during the day, but it gets numb at night -— even with a hand support. It is all a matter of positioning the arm. But there is no numbness in the fingers, so I have time. (I’m care giver for 2, and just heard about my own medical problem, so I’m putting off having the wrist looked at.)

The ortho said the numbness on my 3 middle fingers might take a year or more to ease off.

Long after the surgery was done on my left hand, I experienced some sharp pain in the area at the base of the thumb. I pulled a muscle the wrong way?? It passed quickly, but sometimes it comes back when I move that area the wrong way. If I move my thumb across the middle of the palm, I can feel a mild sensation at the base of the thumb in the back A wrist strap seems to give it support.

I have taken high doses of all the B vitamins and cal/mag for aeons. I’m an old fogy now so maybe I put having these problems off till this advanced age.

I had a very conservative orthopedic surgeon, who wanted me to try physical therapy first. I tried almost a year of PT, but the symptoms (tingling, numbness) did not abate. Finally, he performed a carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand. After a few weeks of PT, the hand was as good as new. Never looked back, it’s been several years now. When the same thing began to occur with my left hand, I tried a long course of PT, but then had the surgery. It was a nothing burger. I had local anesthesia, and carried on a conversation with the anesthesiologist about our respective cats, alternating with joking around with my surgeon as he snipped and stitched on the other side of a drape. Had a few weeks of follow up PT on the left hand, you’d never know anything was wrong. I actually have to point out the scars on both hands, they are just about invisible.

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