Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition of wrist that would result from an increased pressure on the median nerve of the wrist; it is much like if nerve was pinched. Patients who are suffering from CTS often experience symptoms like tingling or numbness, and pain in the hand, arm, or fingers. Inside the wrist through a space called carpal tunnel nine tendons would passing from the wrist to the hand, and CTS would occur when the carpal tunnel swells and the pressure is put on the middle nerve. When the pressure and swelling gets large enough to affect the performance of the nerves, then numbness, pain or tingling can be felt in the fingers and hand.
Treatment:
To properly diagnose the carpal tunnel syndrome, your hand surgeon may take a detailed medical history during your first visit. This medical history would include how your hands are and any prior injuries. Arthritis or any fractures can be checked by using an X-ray, and sometimes laboratory tests may also be used to check out for the presence of the other medical situations that are associated with CTS. NCV can be performed along with EMG or electromyogram to confirm the diagnosis. These tests can be useful in indentifying other possible conditions of the nerves.
If you are suffering from CTS any way, hand surgery can improve your condition. Mostly the surgeon will likely begin the treatment with non-surgical procedure before going for surgery. Very specialized hand surgery can be used to treat this disease that causes pain, impair function, flexibility and strength of your fingers and wrist. Surgery is needed to restore the normal functioning of hands and fingers that are injured by carpal tunnel.
At starting stage of the treatment, the patient will be recommended to use drugs; however if that drugs are not successful, then your doctor would suggest rigid therapy. A physical therapist along with a hand surgeon will design a treatment of stretching and strengthening exercises in an effort to regain the functioning of hand.
There are two common carpal tunnel surgeries that would deal with CTS, which include:
· Open release hand surgery
· Endoscopic surgery
Open surgery: This is the common and traditional surgery. This can be done by making two inch incision on the wrist. To enlarge the carpal tunnel, the ligament would be cut. This procedure can be done under local anesthesia and on the basis of outpatient.
Endoscopic surgery: Generally this is done for the sheer convenience of speedier recovery. In this procedure, surgeon makes two small incisions in the wrist and in the palm of about one half inch. A small camera is used to find the ligament of carpal and cut it to relieve the pressure causing pain and symptoms. This surgery can also be performed under normal anesthesia.