The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment For You
Having carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the nightmares of people who are in typing jobs. But they should not be worried anymore for there are now carpal tunnel syndrome treatments. There are two types of treatments, which are surgical and non-surgical.
Carpal tunnel syndrome will be acquired when there is a pressure on the median nerve which is located in the wrist. If you have this, you will feel pain, numbness and weakness of the hand. Repetitive movement of the hand or wrist is the most common cause of CTS. Examples of those repetitive movements are typing, sewing, driving, painting, writing and some sports.
You should seek treatment when you already feel the symptoms. Using splint to immobilize the affected area and resting it for at least 2 weeks are recommended. If there is swelling, apply ice compress for about 10 to 15 minutes twice every hour until the swelling disappears. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen will be prescribed by the doctors to relieve the pain and swelling.
Exercising the affected part, like stretching and strengthening with the help of a physical therapist is a big help. Other treatments may include acupuncture, chiropractic and yoga, though there is no clinical proof that they could treat carpal tunnel syndrome, but they could still relieve pain.
If after 6 months there is still no relief from the symptoms consulting a doctor for further treatment is a must. Surgery is the best option for this and the most common is the carpal tunnel release. There are two types of CTS surgery and those are open release surgery and endoscopic surgery.
Open release surgery is the most common surgical procedure for carpal tunnel syndrome. Surgeon will make 2 inches incision in the wrist to cut the ligament that roofs the median nerve. In the endoscopic surgery or two-portal endoscopic surgery the surgeon will only make 2 incisions with about half an inch each. The first incision is for the camera that is on a tube and the second incision is for the surgical scissor to cut the ligament.
Single-portal endoscopic surgery is another option which is much more convenient because of less pain and scarring after surgery. Surgeries for CTS use only local anesthesia, so patients will be able to go home after the procedure.
You should be very patient because recovery from surgery will take some time. To recover the normal functions of your hand, physical therapy after the operation is a must because of weakness of the hand or wrist. Putting your hand on neutral position just like that of holding a glass of water is also helpful.
Changing of work to recover fast and to prevent further damage is also a good option. Even though the reappearance of the condition after surgery is rare, you should still avoid activities that could contribute to any nerve damage.
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