subject: Carpal Tunnel Treatment With And Without Surgery [print this page] Doctors who specialize in carpal tunnel treatment are usually hand surgeons or specialists who focus on this region of the body above all else. Usually they are educated and trained to diagnose and treat or give remedy to ailments and conditions that are localized here. This particular condition occurs when a person's repetitive motion affects the nerves of the wrist and hand. There are a variety of treatments that are usually prescribed and recommended by the hand doctor that depends on the severity and extent of the condition. There are non-surgical recommendations for cases that are not so severe and surgical alternatives for cases with full-blown symptoms and symptoms that are difficult to treat without surgery.
Non-surgical Options
The doctor may prescribe non-surgical treatments for carpal tunnel if the patient is not suffering greatly and the manifestations are not so severe. This means that the symptoms may occur irregularly especially when the hands are overworked or have done repetitive motions for several days or more. Numbness and limited movement may occur but only sporadically. The doctor may recommend the use of a splint to incorporate the correct movement of the appendages. The wrist splint may be worn when the person is not mobile or at work, usually during the night or when he or she is at rest. Another recommendation from the specialist may be to take more frequent breaks from the repetitive motions that may result to the need for carpal tunnel treatment. The doctor will usually give a specific time to end the repetitions. In some cases, the patient may be told to rest from the movements for several weeks and actually find an alternative to these movements. Relief from the pain and discomfort that come with the symptoms of this condition can also be taken from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These may not actually prevent the condition from worsening but they can alleviate the pain and discomfort that comes with it.
Surgery
Carpal tunnel treatment in the form of surgery is usually recommended when the symptoms are very severe and they cannot be resolved by the non-surgical options. Severe symptoms consists of numbness in one or more fingers which do not go away for a long time as well as pain and discomfort that are frequently recurring. The surgery should be done by a specialist in hand operations. It consists mainly of cutting the ligament that usually forms in the top of the passageway of the nerve. This procedure relieves the pressure on the median nerve that in turn will eliminate or reduce the symptoms. There may be permanent damage to the median nerve that will not completely eradicate the pain and discomfort in the wrist and hand but only reduce it significantly.
These are most of the carpal tunnel treatment options that patient are presented with. Specialists will know which ones their patient should opt for depending on the extent of the condition that they are suffering from.
