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VITALITY
Spring 2017
COMMUNITY
CARPAL TUNNEL
The tingling feeling
that’s not so nice
Outpatient
surgery
for carpal
tunnel
syndrome
One treatment for
carpal tunnel syndrome
is release surgery. Your
doctor may recommend
it if:
»
You’ve had
symptoms for six
months and other
treatments haven’t
worked.
»
The muscles in your
hand or wrist are
shrinking. To prepare
for surgery, you
should:
»
Try to quit smoking, if
you smoke.
»
Make sure your
doctor knows what
medications you
take. You may have
to stop any that
interfere with blood
clotting (like aspirin).
About a week after
this outpatient surgery,
your doctor will remove
the bandages and you’ll
start physical therapy.
The length of recovery
time varies from one
person to the next,
from weeks to months.
Depending on how
long you had carpal
tunnel symptoms,
some might persist.
But most people can
expect to recover
completely.
Source: National Institutes of
Health
If you have numbness,
pain or tingling
in your hand, you might have a common
condition called carpal tunnel syndrome.
It’s caused by a pinched nerve—the median
nerve—in the wrist.
The median nerve controls feeling in
the palm side of your thumb and first
three fingers (all but the little one). The
nerve runs through a canal called the
carpal tunnel. If the tunnel narrows, it puts
pressure on the nerve.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Carpal tunnel syndrome usually has more
than one cause. Common culprits include:
»
»
Heredity. Small carpal tunnels can
run in families.
»
»
Injury, like a fracture or dislocated joint.
»
»
Medical conditions like arthritis,
diabetes and thyroid problems.
»
»
Overuse of the wrist in activities like
carpentry, computing or typing, rowing,
or using vibrating tools.
HOW IS IT TREATED?
Nonsurgical treatments include medication,
physical therapy and corticosteroid
injections. Your doctor might also
suggest that you:
»
»
Use your hands differently.
»
»
Wear a brace or splint (days, nights or
both) to keep your wrist straight and
relieve pressure on the median nerve.
Without treatment, carpal tunnel
syndrome can worsen and may lead to
permanent damage, like hand weakness or
loss of feeling. So if you have symptoms,
make time to see your doctor.
For a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon,
call
417-777-2663
.
Sources: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons;
American Society for Surgery of the Hand
To schedule your
appointment,
call the surgeons
at Parkview
Orthopaedic
Clinic in Bolivar at
417-777-2663
.
ORTHOPAEDICS