Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment Surgery

Carpal tunnel, also known as carpal tunnel syndrome, is a common condition that can occur when the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway inside your wrist, swells, affecting the nerves that run to your hand. According to the NHS, this can cause aches in your fingers, hand and arm, along with numbness and pins and needles. It can also result in you experiencing weakness and difficulty gripping things, particularly with your thumb.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by repetitive movements causing pressure to be exerted on the median nerve in the wrist. This runs to your hand through a region called the carpal tunnel, which is located between your carpal bones on the outside of your wrist and the transverse carpal ligament across the palm side. This area is small and inflexible, so if the region is crushed or becomes inflamed, the pressure affects the median nerve and stops it from properly sending signals to and from the hand. The causes of carpal tunnel syndrome can vary. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, these can include the sufferer having repetitively moved the hand or wrist over a long period, such as while conducting manual work or playing sport. Poor hand and wrist position can be a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome too, as can hormone imbalances during pregnancy, and other health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and thyroid gland imbalance. Some people also genetically inherit a smaller, thinner carpal tunnel, which can make the condition more likely.

The treatment for carpal tunnel depends on the severity of the syndrome and how often it occurs. If it’s your first time experiencing the issue or it very rarely happens, you may be able to let it heal naturally with moderate, conservative carpal tunnel treatment. This involves wearing a wrist splint for a month or so, taking painkillers if required, doing hand exercises, and avoiding the cause of the injury. In more severe and recurrent cases, the treatment for carpal tunnel is surgery that can relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. This procedure is sometimes called carpal tunnel release. In the case of a carpal tunnel operation, your surgeon will begin by numbing your wrist with a local anaesthetic injection to minimise any pain. An incision is made in your hand and the ligament around the carpal tunnel is cut. This increases the size of the tunnel and therefore reduces pressure on the nerve. Your incision is then closed with stitches. Carpal tunnel surgery can be conducted as an outpatient procedure, so you’ll be able to go home the same day.

The benefits of carpal tunnel treatment include: • Pain relief: If you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, the pressure on the nerves and ligaments of your wrist can cause pain and discomfort, which carpal tunnel surgery can relieve. • Improved hand function: Sufferers of carpal tunnel syndrome can find that simple tasks like gripping, pointing and fine control are painful or difficult. Treatment means you can perform these simple but crucial tasks.

All surgical procedures carry risks. To know how significant they are and compare them with the impacts of doing nothing, you must understand them before you go ahead. In doing so, you can make a fully informed decision. Generally, with carpal tunnel surgery, potential risks and complications include infection, bleeding, nerve damage, blood vessel damage and a sensitive scar. There may also be other risks due to any existing conditions you have. We'll ensure you’re fully in the know during your carpal tunnel treatment consultations so you understand the risks. During these sessions, you’ll be able to get answers to any questions you have.

You might consider carpal tunnel surgery if you are affected and concerned by the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, including pain, numbness and difficulty gripping. To understand whether carpal tunnel treatment is the right course of action, our nurses and surgeons will assess your symptoms and provide advice on treatment during your free initial consultation, alongside any information you need to know to proceed.

For over 45 years, our expert nurses and General Medical Council (GMC) registered surgeons have helped people seeking private carpal tunnel syndrome treatment find solutions to their health problems and gain lasting improvements to their overall quality of life. Every patient in our care comes first throughout every step of their carpal tunnel treatment journey. Our care is personalised to you and accounts fully for your wants and needs, ensuring it is the best it can be. And once you've had your treatment, our comprehensive aftercare ensures you have a smooth and fast recovery. You'll receive your consultations and undergo your carpal tunnel operation in world-class medical facilities, all certified by the Care Quality Commission, Healthcare Infection Society and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. Our state-of-the-art private hospital, Burcot Hall in Bromsgrove, is also supported by a nationwide network of clinics, so you can always count on great local service near you. We treat customers with a range of budgets too. All our carpal tunnel surgery costs are clear and competitive, and flexible finance options are also commonly available.

As a responsible healthcare provider, we appreciate that each patient we see has their own specific requirements and so we'll tailor our treatment plans to your unique needs. It all starts with a free consultation, where we'll talk about the options that are suitable for you. There are several finance options to help you meet the cost of your private carpal tunnel surgery, ranging from paying outright to spreading the cost over a number of years. We know that deciding to have surgery is a major decision. Through creating your own bespoke treatment plan, we'll do all we can to make sure that it's right for your budget. We carry out all finance applications free of charge, and there's never any obligation to go ahead with treatment. You can use our simple price check form to find out how much carpal tunnel treatment could cost. For more information about all our flexible finance plans, please visit our Pricing and Finance page.

You might decide to have carpal tunnel surgery if you experience symptoms that interfere with your day-to-day activities. You might experience pain, numbness, tingling sensations, and muscle weakness in your hand(s), which can make simple tasks difficult. At your free consultation with us, our experts will be able to advise you on the benefits of carpal tunnel surgery and whether it could be the right treatment for you.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by repetitive motion of the wrist. You might develop the syndrome over a long period of time by doing work or hobbies that involve bending your wrist, gripping hard or using vibrating tools. There are also certain risk factors that can increase your likelihood of developing carpal tunnel syndrome: - Being overweight - Being pregnant - Having other illnesses, such as diabetes or arthritis - Previous wrist injury.

Carpal tunnel surgery is a quick procedure, taking around 30 minutes to complete. As it only requires local anaesthetic, you’ll be able to go home the same day.

Carpal tunnel surgery recovery times vary from person to person. As a guide, you can expect to regain the full strength of your hand within six to 12 weeks following the surgery.

The time you should take off work after your carpal tunnel surgery will depend on the nature of your job. Most people, including those that use a mouse and keyboard regularly, are ready to return to work within two weeks of their carpal tunnel operation, but this might be longer if your job involves manual labour. If you work at a computer, equipment like wrist rests and padded mouse mats can be beneficial when returning to work.

After carpal tunnel surgery, you will have a small scar measuring about 2 inches on your wrist. This will fade over time.

After you’ve had your carpal tunnel surgery, there are some restrictions on what you’ll be able to do. For the first few days after your carpal tunnel treatment, you should only use your hand for light tasks and keep it elevated when it’s not in use. It’s advised you don’t lift anything heavier than 500g and refrain from tasks that are repetitive, like typing, using a mouse, scrolling through your phone, vacuum cleaning and cooking. It’s important to keep your bandage dry too. You'll wear a bandage for around two weeks and will be given post-surgery exercises to improve your hand and wrist mobility, such as gentle wrist and finger movements. We also recommend you continue light exercise with the rest of your body, such as taking a short stroll every day.

Carpal tunnel surgery is usually highly successful. Research published in the Publication of the American Association for Hand Surgery in 2012 found the treatment was typically highly effective even two years after the surgery took place, and as many of 90% of patients are successfully treated by the procedure.