Carpal Tunnel

As soon as you notice symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, seek treatment. Early intervention might allow the issue to resolve on its own with some simple steps. For example:

• Take more frequent breaks to rest your hands.
• Avoid activities that worsen the symptoms.
• Apply cold packs to reduce swelling.

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and other brands) may help relieve carpal tunnel syndrome pain in the short term. However, there is no evidence that these medications effectively treat carpal tunnel syndrome itself.

Wrist Splinting: Wearing a wrist splint at night can alleviate tingling and numbness. Although the splint is typically worn only at night, it can also help prevent symptoms during the day. Since nighttime splinting does not require medication to be effective, it can be a good option if you are pregnant.

If symptoms are severe or do not improve with previous treatments, surgery may be necessary.

During carpal tunnel surgery, the ligament pressing on the median nerve is removed to relieve pressure.

There are two possible methods for performing the surgery:

Endoscopic Procedures: In this method, your surgeon uses an endoscope—a telescope-like instrument with a tiny camera—to view inside the carpal tunnel. The surgeon makes one or two small incisions in the hand or wrist to cut the ligament. Some surgeons use ultrasonography instead of a telescope to guide the instrument used to cut the ligament.

Endoscopic surgery may cause less discomfort than open surgery in the days or weeks following the procedure.

Open Surgery: In this method, the surgeon makes an incision in the palm of the hand over the carpal tunnel and cuts through the ligament to release the nerve.

Hip discomfort may be alleviated with intra-articular injections, where cortisone is injected directly into the hip joint. Pain in the outer hip related to Trochanteric Bursitis can also be relieved through injections.