Going to have carpel tunnel release surgery tomorrow, anyone had this done, if so, what can I expect for recovery? Not really looking forward to being down for awhile.

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Todd

Count on about 6 weeks of no significant use of the surgical hand.

I've had both sides done. The limitation of use is really up to the surgeon's technique, if they use a carpal tunnel knife though a small incision you may be able to do limited things that don't require a grip within a week or so, but if it is a true dissection procedure you'll be advised not to use it at all for the first week or so to allow the incision to start healing and then limited use (no picking up anything bigger than a cup of coffee, etc) for another couple of weeks and no lifting anything that requires a grip firmer than a handshake for 6 weeks. The area around the median nerve needs to heal and form a scar internally to prevent the tissue from impinging the nerve again.

I had my dominant hand (right) done first, and four weeks later had the left hand done. I was out of work for 12 weeks. The dressing may be a full hand and forearm wrap that fills the palm, which is intended both to protect the incision and prevent using the hand.

In addition to my personal experience with the surgery, I was an O.R. Nurse for 38 years and assisted on more of these than I can count, with both orthopedic hand specialists and neurosurgeons. My advice is not to push getting back to normal, follow the surgeon's recommendations for letting it heal and for any PT he suggests.

Never had it done but I'll pass on hope for a surgeon's steady hand and a quick heal.

I've had it done on both hands. Hair-Trigger's advice if top shelf. I would add: get some long plastic bread bags like the type used for French or Italian bread. You can put that over the dressing hand and tape the opening around your arm and take a shower w/o getting the incision wet. Also, practice personal hygiene with your non-dominant hand. JMHO & YMMV

I had my weak hand done. Sixish weeks later I was doing bass gigs.

Eightish weeks later I was hitting short irons

Baby steps..

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Wow... Hair Trigger's post is very informative and very good to know because my right hand, dominate, wrist is starting to get my attention. I have not been to a hand doctor to tell me what is causing the pain, but it sure as hell screws up my range fun.

I'm curious how the doctors determine or diagnose a carpel tunnel condition that requires surgery.

Also will the surgery preclude the use of the hand to work a computer keyboard and mouse?

Hair Trigger gave you good advice. Had my dominant (right)hand done last year. Still get a “shadow” pain if I’ve pushed too hard or after an hour of heavy pistol shooting. Also had three “trigger finger” release surgery done with a fourth scheduled in a couple of months. For us older guys who use our hands for any number of projects, these hand issues sure do put a crimp into our fun.

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"Your other right........."

Had both done in about 5 weeks time, the whole time I was off of work. A 5 week vacation. It’s a small slit in the wrist and they snip a tendon in half. I know there is a recovery but I have cut myself at work and after I got stitches I was back at work. I did body work with a lot of sharp metal and jobs had to be done. If a real serious cut, home we went.

You will have minimal pain after, a very simple operation with not much time in the Operating Room. Good time for using the internet during recovery. Good luck, hope it helps. Larry

Oh crapity!! Trigger finger!!??

Yes... Getting old sucks like a giant Hoover!!

I had my dominant right hand done on August 7. Unfortunately i didn’t take enough time off before returning to work and didn’t start feeling “normal” again until the beginning of November. My dr suggested no shooting at all for 6 weeks then starting with light recoiling calibers. For me that meant no .45acp, no longer shoot magnums anyway. I did a one day class with my .45 1911 two weeks ago and all was good, 250 rounds.

Had the right hand done years ago, older Doctor knew what he was doing. Nov 11, 2023 ,the young surgeon did my left hand with a local and walked out without saying a word. Have never seen him since. As of today, I can't feel the thumb, index finger, or middle finger on my left hand. Be sure you pick the right Doctor, the older the better, just like guns.

Terry

That depends upon how long you put it off. Some people put it off until they're nearly incapacitated and then, the surgeon opens up the channel for the nerve that's been affected. Suddenly the injured nerve is functioning fully and the pain is excruciating. Enough to make a grown man cry, literally. (So I'm told.)

Better to get it done sooner rather than later.

Severe carpal tunnel in my right hand. Had surgery last fall and the relief was almost immediate. Healed fast and the only thing at the moment is a little tenderness at the scar if I bump it and a very very slight reduction in grip strength. My orthopedist says that the worse it is the more immediate relief that usually occurs. I am glad I had it done as it was miserable going numb driving and at night trying to sleep before.

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Sceva
OGCA SWCA NRA

Back in the 1990s I had a bout with carpal tunnel. I found out I was curling my wrist in my sleep and that was what was causing it. Made sure I wore my wrist braces while sleeping and it cleared up for many years.
I have been having a bit of an issue with it again in the last year or so.

Yes.......but beats the alternative.....

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S&W Accumulator

Or hope you have a good friend who will help you. Good story to tell about this at the end of my post.

2- computer use and propping your hand to operate a mouse are two of the biggest causes of CTS. So, yes surgery will preclude it.

1-Numbness and/or tingling in the fingers, loss of grip strength, pain in the hands that wake you up at night are indicative signs. Thenar atrophy is another visible indication. hold your hand with palm toward you and fingers slightly spread, look at the meaty ball of your thumb. If it is even with or only slightly bulging above the palm, the muscle that abducts (closes) your thumb is atrophied. You will also have diminished grip strength.

There is Phalen's sign, where you place the backsides of you hands and fingers together and push, which hyperflexes the wrists. Hold it for about 30 seconds, if you get numbness and tingling in your fingers it is a positive sign.

Tinel's Sign is done by the doctor, who takes your fingers in one hand and bends your wrist back, stretching the front (palm side) of the wrist. He then taps the slight groove in the middle of your wrist, where the median nerve run; if you get slight electric tingles into your middle and ring finger it is a positive sign. The MD can also order nerve conduction studies (electromyelogram) for confirmation of diagnosis.

What gets "snipped" is the transverse carpal ligament, which the median nerve runs deep to. And postop pain can be minimal, but if the nerve has been compressed long enough and badly enough, it can suffer permanent damage. Then you'll still have some of the symptoms you had prior to the surgery, although they should be improved a bit. This tingling can be long term and permanent. Both my hands still tingle a little, especially after doing work that involves gripping, like using hand tools, shoveling, etc. It's been 15 years since I had the surgery. Some people get total relief, others get moderate relief. Like any surgery, YMMV and a cure is never guaranteed.

Now for the story. One of the neurosurgeons I worked many years with had a patient who needed both wrists done. He wanted to get it over with so he insisted on having both done at once, even though the surgeon strongly recommended against it. So, he gets both done, has both hands bandaged with a small plaster splint to keep him from bending the wrists inside the dressing. The first office visit after surgery is two weeks postop, to get the stitches out and have the dressing changed.

Patient and his wife both show up in the office, and the wife is furious at both the surgeon and her husband. You guessed it, she was the one who had to wipe her husband's butt for two weeks., and she really unloaded on the surgeon for agreeing to do both wrists at once.

My symptoms aren't as bad as some, but my right hand still gets numb at night, even with my brace on. I figured that I might as well get it done now, before it gets worse and does more nerve damage.

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Todd

I've had surgery on both hands twice back in the '80's. First doc screwed up and had to do it again, one at a time. Was off work 6 weeks each time. It's doing fine now. I have the scars to prove it. I do hope I out live that first doctor.

But the brace back on!!It will help.

My scars are hardly visible. I had a neurosurgeon do mine, one of the guys I worked with the most. I knew his technique and also his success rate, so I wasn't worried. He told me after each surgery the nerves were pretty mashed and I'd likely have continuing numbness, but it's a lot better than it was.

Attached Images

	carpal tunnel scar left.jpg (135.5 KB, 6 views)
	carpal tunnel scar right.jpg (101.7 KB, 7 views)

Well, it's all over, pretty quick and painless. I'll see what happens when the morning comes, but thinking it will be fine. Thanks for all the info.

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Todd

Hope it works for you since you didn’t wait too long. Keep us updated. Been a while since I had both done, sometimes it feels like it’s coming back occasionally. Larry

I can barely see the incision scar on mine, now 7 years later. Had the wrist and elbow done at the same time (that old "funny bone" ain't no fun when it hurts all the time). If memory serves, the carpal tunnel procedure is at the wrist where the ulnar nerve passes, and the cubital tunnel procedure is at the elbow where the nerve is rather exposed at the joint.

In my case the relief was immediate. No more pain, no more numbness, no more loss of use. However I still have some loss of grip strength and I remain much more sensitive to recoil, so I have adjusted to live with that.

The shoulder surgery was much more difficult to deal with. Arthritic growth and bone spurs impinging on the nerve caused constant pain with just about every movement, cost me a lot of sleep before I got it fixed up.

This getting old nonsense just ain't no fun. Everything seems to be wearing out.

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Life of the party until 8:00PM