Insurance Companies Suggest Alternative Therapies Before Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Do you have a job that requires you to make the same motions with your hands and arms all day? Do you have a hobby like this that you indulge in daily? Things like this can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms can include chronic pain, weakness, swelling, numbness, and tingling in the wrists, hands and elbows. Many people get surgery to relieve the pain, but there are other ways to treat it.

But surgery is extreme, and you really have to think whether it is worth it. The compression of the median nerve, which travels the length of the arm, is the main cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. There is a point in the wrist where the ligaments of your arm are bound together by the transverse carpal ligament. This point is where the median nerve becomes compressed. The repetitive motions of some jobs and hardening of soft tissues in the hands cause the compression.

Surgery can be considered as an option to relieve your symptoms, but it is something that should be thought about carefully. If your job is what has caused your carpal tunnel syndrome, that would mean that your livelihood depends on your hands being fully operational. Recovery from carpal tunnel surgery can take 6 weeks or more. On top of this, the surgery itself can cost $10,000 or more. Even if you have good insurance, you may have trouble with a bill that size.

Even though it is expensive, the surgery is considered a light surgery. A twilight anesthetic can be used, and the surgery is very un-invasive. But due to the fact that the hand is a very complex and delicate part of the body, healing takes a long time. Also, any surgery carried risks with it, so you need to be careful when considering whether you will have this surgery, and who will perform it.

With this surgery, the transverse carpal ligament is severed. Completely cutting this ligament instantly releases the pressure on the median nerve. Even though the patient can gain instant relief from this, the healing process will take a long time and you may be out of work for quite some time. Once healed, your hands and wrists should have less discomfort, and better motion. It should be kept in mind that there can be a loss of strength in your hands after the surgery.

With the risk and cost of the surgery, you will probably be glad to know that there are other ways to relieve your symptoms. There are many simple exercises you can find online or through a physical therapist that will relax the transverse carpal ligament. This will relieve pressure on the median nerve. Another thing you can do is to have your hands massaged. This will prevent tension in the soft tissues of the hand. Good posture and ergonomics while at work will also help keep pressure off your arms and hands.

Many people are surprised when they learn of these techniques to relieve carpal tunnel symptoms. So many act like surgery is the only option, and really surgery should not be gotten if it is at all avoidable. Trying less extreme methods before surgery is always a good idea. There have been people who have ended up with worse pain after surgery than they had before.

Most medical professionals and insurance companies insist on carpal tunnel sufferers trying alternative methods of treatment in alleviating their symptoms before trying carpal tunnel surgery. This is because CTS surgery is known for being an unreliable and unpredictable treatment. Learn all you can about natural, non-invasive treatments before considering surgery.