Carpal tunnel syndrome is a surprisingly common cause of hand and finger symptoms, including recurrent and persistent pain and numbness. While conservative therapies are usually helpful, more severe nerve compression may require surgery to find relief and prevent complications.
Thomas E. Powell, MD, has extensive experience treating carpal tunnel syndrome using both nonsurgical and surgical approaches, based on each patient’s symptoms and other factors. In this post, Dr. Powell and the team at Powell Orthopedics and Sports Medicine provide a quick overview of carpal tunnel syndrome and the surgery that’s sometimes used to correct it.
To understand how carpal tunnel release surgery works, you first need to understand what carpal tunnel syndrome is and why it happens.
Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when the long nerve running down your arm (the median nerve) is compressed in your wrist. This nerve passes through a narrow space in your wrist (the carpal tunnel), an area shared by tendons that help control finger movements.
If the tunnel is irritated or inflamed, it swells and becomes narrower, resulting in nerve compression, along with the hallmark symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome: tingling, burning, numbness, and problems with gripping objects. The thumb, index, and middle fingers are most often affected, since these fingers are directly served by the median nerve.
Anyone can develop carpal tunnel syndrome, but it’s more common among people who use their hands a lot, especially for repetitive activities like typing or using tools. People with diabetes and arthritis are also more prone to the condition, as are people who’ve had wrist injuries in the past.
While many people benefit from conservative therapies, like wrist splints and corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation, others need more aggressive treatment to relieve symptoms and prevent permanent nerve damage. That’s when carpal tunnel release surgery comes in.
Carpal tunnel release surgery focuses on gently enlarging the carpal tunnel space to eliminate compression on the median nerve. Dr. Powell widens the space by cutting through the carpal tunnel ligament. This ligament forms the “roof” of the carpal tunnel. Cutting through the ligament “lifts” the roof, expanding the area while relieving compression on the median nerve.
There are two primary approaches to carpal tunnel release surgery: open surgery and endoscopic surgery. The outcomes are the same with equal results. Dr. Powell makes a very small incision in your palm, exposing the ligament so it can be precisely cut.
Endoscopic surgery uses 2-3 much tinier incisions along with a special instrument that features a high-definition camera. The surgeon views the area via the camera’s live images, performing the procedure using specialized, minimally invasive techniques. Both methods are highly effective, and Dr. Powell recommends the approach that’s best for your needs.
The surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, meaning you can go home soon after your surgery and a brief period of observation.
While you should notice an improvement in your symptoms within a few days to a few weeks, it can take several months of healing before hand function fully returns. Dr. Powell usually recommends physical therapy to support optimal healing and a faster return to normal function.
Without proper treatment, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause permanent nerve damage and muscle weakness, making it difficult to use your hand for normal activities.
To learn more about carpal tunnel syndrome treatment, including both nonsurgical and surgical methods, request an appointment online or over the phone with Powell Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, today.
