Fixing Your Aching Wrists

Today we do more repetitive work with our fingers than in older times. Tasks such as typing can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition caused by pressure on the median nerve and typified by pain, numbness, weakness, or tingling. One of the options for treatment is surgery. In these outpatient procedures our three Texas Neurosurgeons relieve pressure on the median nerve, which is causing the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. 

What is the carpal tunnel? 

The carpal tunnel sounds like something you’d pay 15 bucks to use going under the Hudson River heading into Manhattan. But in your arm the carpal tunnel is a narrow, fibrous passage in the wrist that protects the median nerve. This is the nerve responsible for movement and sensation in the hand and thumb, index and middle fingers. The canal can become congested, leading to tingling and numbness in the fingers — carpal tunnel syndrome. When options such as splinting don’t work, Drs. Barnett, Michael, and Bidiwala can open up this congestion and head off possible loss of strength and dexterity in the fingers. 

What causes carpal tunnel syndrome? 

It seems odd that a normal nerve routing can become crowded, but that is what happens. Anything that decreases the amount of space in the carpal tunnel, increases the amount of tissue in the tunnel, or increases the sensitivity of the median nerve can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Basically, the decreasing space starts to put the squeeze on the median nerve. This is a case of nerve impingement or compression. This compression can lead to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the affected fingers and thumb of the hand. 

Symptoms 

Carpal tunnel syndrome is predominantly a condition acquired by people who have repetitive jobs using their hands. The repetition is usually a motion that the person doesn’t even realize they do exactly the same way over and over again. It affects women more often than men. The condition usually begins as an ache in the wrist that may extend down to the forearm or up to the hand. As carpal tunnel syndrome worsens, the patient may experience tingling or numbness in the fingers or pain radiating through the entire arm. The tingling is a sign of issues with the nerve, and this can lead to weakness in the hand in question along with difficulty grasping small objects. 

Carpal tunnel release 

Once conservative treatments, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, splints, physical therapy, and the use of cold packs, have been exhausted and the patient still is showing symptoms, it’s time to see us at Texas Neurosurgery for carpal tunnel release surgery. 

This procedure is an outpatient procedure that can be performed two ways: endoscopically or through an open procedure. Which method we opt to perform depends on the individual situation of each patient. 

Open carpal tunnel release involves a two-inch incision in the middle of the palm. This provides the surgeon a better view of the treated area and involves less risk of accidentally damaging nerves in the area. 

Endoscopic carpal tunnel release involves only two tiny incisions and makes for less postoperative pain and a faster return to work. There may be a slightly higher chance of needing another surgery down the road. 

Do you have pain in your wrist or continued tingling in your fingers? Call the team at Texas Neurosurgery, (214) 823-2052, and schedule an appointment for us to check out the problem.