Your hands play a vital role in your everyday life, but after a while, their importance might take a toll on your health. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a peripheral nerve condition caused by too much pressure on the median nerve in the bottom of your hand. In some cases, the symptoms of carpal tunnel may worsen to the point of medical intervention or surgery.
But how do your know when it’s time to consider carpal tunnel surgery? If you’re looking for an answer to the above question, you’ve come to the right place. The four biggest signs that you need carpal tunnel surgery are listed below.
1. Non-invasive Treatments Aren’t Working
Before surgery is considered, your doctor will offer non-invasive treatment options to correct carpal tunnel syndrome on its own. Some treatment options may look like massage therapies, lifestyle changes, or medications. In most cases, non-surgical treatments work within a few weeks.
But if you’ve tried multiple treatments without success, it’s time to talk to your doctor about carpal tunnel surgery.
2. You’re Losing Feeling or Feeling Too Much
It is not uncommon to experience either sharp pains in your or numbness in your hand when suffering from carpal tunnel. But if pain or numbness worsens over time, you may need to consider surgery. Ongoing and severe pain/numbness is often a sign of nerve damage.
In this case, the peripheral nervous system would be in danger of permanent damage if left untreated.
3. You’re Noticing a Loss of Coordination
If you begin noticing a loss of coordination while performing daily activities, talk to your doctor immediately. A lack of coordination could look like (bit is not limited to) difficulty gripping objects, weak thumbs, or a loss of motor skills in the hand. Losing coordination and motor skills in the affected hand is a sign that your carpal tunnel syndrome has progressed and requires invasive intervention.
4. Your Doctor Finds Median Nerve Damage
While checking the progression of your carpal tunnel, your doctor will perform a few tests to check the condition of your median nerve. If your nerve shows signs of nerve damage, the only solution is surgery. Allowing the nerve to stay damaged for too long will result in irreversible nerve damage.
Once you’ve undergone surgery to relieve the pressure in your hand, your nerves should be safe from any further damage. But if you begin similar symptoms in either hand, call your doctor and begin treatment. Proactivity is the best way to prevent carpal tunnel surgery.
In Need of Carpal Tunnel Surgery?
If you’re looking for a surgeon to perform your carpal tunnel surgery or have a few questions regarding the procedure, consider our services at Howell Allen Clinic. We are a team of brain and spine specialists with over 40 years of practice. Our surgeons are dedicated to performing life-changing procedures with minimal invasion.
Visit our website to learn more about our practice, meet our surgeons, or contact us as soon as today.
