If you are considering having surgery for your carpal tunnel symptoms, you want to be able to make an informed decision.
An knowledgeable patient always makes the best decisions. This means it is up to you to learn all that you can about your situation and about conventional medical treatments as well as alternative (natural or complementary) treatments (like massage) for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Your doctor wants to prevent permanent nerve damage from pressure in your carpal tunnel.
There are conservative (non-surgical) ways to reduce that pressure that work for most people. They can certainly be worth trying before deciding to have a surgical carpal tunnel release.
When you talk with your doctor about carpal tunnel surgery, listen carefully, take notes and ask good questions.
What to ask your doctor or surgeon:
- Why is your doctor recommending the surgery?
- What does she believe caused your carpal tunnel symptoms? (Note: the most common cause is soft tissues and muscles in your arm or neck.)
- What does she expect the outcome to be?
- How long does she believe you will have benefit from the surgery? Forever? Six months?
- How long will your recovery take?
- Is there any other treatment or therapy she thinks you should try first?
- What about physical therapy or therapeutic massage and exercises to correct your posture? *
- How many carpal tunnel releases has she done before? How many of those patients were totally relieved of their symptoms, and for how long? (You want a surgeon who does several CT releases daily or very often. You want a specialist.)
- Do you have the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or could it be some other pain syndrome?
You might have other questions that you would also like to have answered.
Remember, you doctor is a service provider for you. It’s okay for you to ask questions.
Your doctors’ job is to help you eliminate your carpal tunnel pain and make good decisions about your treatment. When they answer your questions that will make your decision easier.
(* Most doctors do not know very much about the roles of muscles and soft tissues in pain syndromes because so little is taught in medical
school about that. You might have to see what you can do on your own.)
Keep learning about natural relief for carpal tunnel syndrome. Sometimes you just have to be your own doctor.
The more information you have about the true causes of your carpal tunnel pain and the ways to get rid of it, the better your chances of a full recovery.
And, while some people do need carpal tunnel surgery, probably many people can get rid of it with massage (by a professional or yourself,) using ice or heat, strengthening your back and correcting your posture and diet.
If you put what you learn into practice, you may discover quite quickly that you don’t need surgery.
When you have the option, it’s always better to take the natural route to wellness.
“Because You Deserve to Feel Better!”