If non operative measures for carpal tunnel syndrome fail, then carpal tunnel decompression offers a safe and effective treatment to alleviate symptoms and protect your median nerve against further damage.
The surgery is generally done awake, using local anaesthetic. This hurts a little bit when it is put in, a little like a wasp or bee sting, just for a few seconds. Then the area that will be operated on will be pain free, but you will still feel pressure, and temperature, and movement.
The surgeon makes a cut in line with the ring finger, in the palm. The muscle and fascia (lining tissue) is moved out the way to expose the thick compressive ligament in the palm. This is then divided, taking the pressure off the nerve. The skin is sewn up with sutures, and the wound is covered with a bulky dressing.
You need to keep the bulky dressing in place for 3-5 days after which you can remove it and keep the waterproof sticky dressing in position to protect the wound. During this time it is really important that you keep you hand elevated and do finger exercises to stop the fingers getting stiff.
The wound heals after 2-3 weeks and you can then go back to using your hand normally.
Generally the horrible tingling that you get should go straight away after carpal tunnel decompression. Any continuous numbness will usually get better, but it can take six months. If the nerve has been very badly squashed, and the thumb muscle has started to waste away, then it sometimes doesn't completely bulk up, but it certainly shouldn't get worse after the procedure.
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