I just want to put my 2 cents in. As someone who works in healthcare and someone who has bilateral carpal tunnel. At one point i couldn't open door knobs and brush my teeth.
the data for surgery options shows very mixed results. Scar tissue from the actual surgery can also cause long-term damage. While i know several people as anecdotal evidence for who the surgery has worked for, do a quick search of carpal tunnel release surgery success results on Pubmed. If you do go with surgery, go with the most minimally invasive option. Do not let an old surgeon hack up your wrist.
I was literally just thinking yesterday how many times i have gone to a doctor and had black tracks drawn on my hand. Never to return again.
My personal story, it took somewhere close to 5 years for my hands to start feeling better. I opted for a lifestyle change, and several measures that i have accumulated over time, which have helped me tremendously. I have been to about 20 doctors. A neurologist, orthopedic surgeon and etc. I did a nerve conduction study that proved velocity of the nerve signals in my hands was severely effected. At my worst, after graduating college, I lived at home for 2 months and had people help me out with everyday tasks to reduce the inflammation. This is not very practical for everyone, so below are some of the things i recommend.
Some of the lifestyle changes:
- everything you can think of, i changed. My last 5 years has been an accumulation of experiences of adopting new lifestyle choices to aid in relief of my hands. From touch-based technology for lights (so i dont have to turn things, which is incredibly aggravating), to sleeping with Futuro even when i take a nap (they are not oriented, so just get 2): Night Wrist Sleep Support, Moderate Stabilizing Support, Adjust to Fit.
I can only use one type of pen EnerGel. because it doesnt cause resistance. any other pen aggravates my hand.
Nerve-guiding exercises are incredibly good for you. Do these as a religion. If you want relief, also consider iontophoresis. Was kind of annoying to go to physical therapy just to get these, but you can DYI this at home (by ordering online to skip the copay). It literally transfers impulses across your hand, sort of zaps you, and provides relief. I cant stress enough how nerve-guiding exercises help.
Exercise in general a must. When my hands are aggravated, exercise basically is a panacea. The seretonin release acts as an inhibtor.
Arnica Gels are great option. These i swear by for the cooling effect alone. which brings me to the next relief, hot/cold therapy. google different variations, 10-15 min off and on. these help as well. I tend to opt for cold therapy for instant relief (carpal tunnel is nerve being pinched, as the nerve constricts naturally due to cold, it provides relief).
I also want to recommend going to a top-notch neurologist. I do believe after many years, that i do have some back issues that contribute to the pain in my hands, or exacerbate it. A lot of people dont know, but your shoulders/back issues can travel down and cause problems for your hands.
I dunno what state you live in, but at one point i was so frustrated, i searched for the best hand specialist in Florida. He is a surgeon that does very minimally invasive procedures. Went to John Hopkins, considered an expert. One visit, he told me, if you go to the wrong person they will move forward with operating on your hands. While he could have had a very expensive minimally invasive procedure done, he opted to suggest some of the above items, and said if we are going to need surgery, lets wait and push it out. Lets see if you really put your mind to all of the items above, what the results will be. The neurologist told me similar. I had disks problems which after an MRI, he said could contribute to the pain i was feeling.
All my life, desperately wanted to lift weights. Now, i work out 2 hours everyday using my arms. Started about 8 months ago. Havent stopped since. Yesterday did pushups (which i never dreamed of, because of how much strain they cause on the wrist). I have the best, most rigid wraps on my hands, which is what helps me with lifting weights (STrong Wrist Wraps).
My arms still hurt. I can still be stupid. Bought Animal Crossing, played it for 2 days straight. My arms cramped up so much i lived just cycling frozen meat packets on my arms. Ended up selling my Nintendo switch to fund a carbon fiber bike i wanted. So i tend to forget. But whats important is i always go back to principles above, and continue to work on my lifestyle (I do not text, i only text speak for example, i cannot hold a phone. I have to log into apps online rather than use my cellphone. I need a specific mouse. Everything you can think of. When i was buying a car, i test drove it for my hands in mind, nothing else).
Lastly, i cant stress enough that you are dealing with inflammation. and how much diet can help. Loosing weight has helped a ton. But also eating lots of veggies has been an absolute key. Order an "ESR" during your routine blood work. Even more sophisticated, i did other inflammation-based whole body tests with my rheumatologist. you can correlate the inflammation with how your hands are feeling. This can help you really quantify some of the changes and how you are feeling.
I hope that helps !!!:thumbsup: