Carpal Tunnel Surgery Anyone?

Doug Lewis

Doug Lewis

Inspired
After a couple years of physical therapy, wrist braces, and injections it looks like the time has come to have surgery. Every doctor I've spoken to has said the results are most often a huge improvement. I need both wrists done but will have the right hand done first. I'm left handed, but play guitar right handed.

My question is; Has anyone here had the surgery, and if so how long did it take to get back to playing comfortably?
 
I had it really bad for years. Then I found out about some exercises and it went away in a few months. The one that worked best for me was to hold your arm out straight. Make a fist. Then roll your fist towards the floor and hold for five seconds. Shake it out. I literally felt the nerve "pop" and release after a few days of that.

But you've probably already been doing those. The procedure to release the nerve works but it's a fairly long recovery.
 
FractalAudio said:
I had it really bad for years. Then I found out about some exercises and it went away in a few months. The one that worked best for me was to hold your arm out straight. Make a fist. Then roll your fist towards the floor and hold for five seconds. Shake it out. I literally felt the nerve "pop" and release after a few days of that.

But you've probably already been doing those. The procedure to release the nerve works but it's a fairly long recovery.
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Thanks, I haven't done that exercise but giving it a shot starting now. I'm up for anything that doesn't require surgery and a month or more of recovery.
 
I had issue with my wrist for 10 years. Turned out, it was related to a nerve issue in my neck. When that was solved, it went away. I almost had surgery as well.
 
It’s always best to avoid surgery because complications are always possible (algodystrophy, infections,...). But don’t let it go too far because when the nerve is too severely damaged, you keep sequels even with surgery.
An EMG should tell you the state of the nerve.
 
I have peripheral neuropathy in my legs thats been moving into my hands. Seeing a neurologist for that was when he pointed out I had crazy carpal tunnel and felt the surgery would cure a lot of my existing nerve issues.
 
Doug, Yes I have ,Here in --New Albany,Indiana , "located across the Ohio River" from Louisville,Ky.
Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center, did a great job on my left wrist. but now am dealing with severe arthritus in my left hand and starting in my right hand .
My left thumb is starting to lock up occasionally.Bottom line is it received my wrist pain big time.
 
My workplace for the last 20 years is very big on workplace ergonomics and preventing RSIs (among other related issues).

A number of years ago we spent a day in a workshop with an ergo specialist who quoted a statistic that about 50% of all Carpal Tunnel surgeries were not needed and in fact misdiagnosed.

There are other things that can cause similar issues, such as the nerve issue mentioned above.

Bad posture can contribute to that a lot.

I would definitely recommend seeking a 2nd opinion...

Good luck either way!
 
Docs diagnosed me with the same and wanted to cut me up, (I couldn’t even use my right hand, couldn’t open doors, play guitar, drive, or even use a fork it had gotten so bad. I had started just keeping that arm in a sling to keep it out of the way). I went to a good chiropractor at the behest of the woman I was dating at the time right before my scheduled surgery, and he had me throwing that sling away on the way out of his office after two hours! Several sessions later it was like nothing had ever happened, and this was after nearly two years of worsening pain and degrading functionality!
Key word is a GOOD chiropractor, this guy was also into kinesiology and was treating mortal diseases in his office quite successfully.
You really owe it to yourself to try that before going to the butchers and getting hacked up and regretting it for the rest of your life when you wind up not able to play the same ever again or worse.
 
Had it really bad. For a year I barely used my left hand. Quit playing guitar, rock climbing.. I remember having a hard time pushing a shopping cart at the store. One day I got fed up and said hell with it.. went out and bought a two stroke dirt bike. Within two weeks of riding an hour a day it was completely gone. I’m convinced the vibrations and the general beating a dirt bike puts on your arms did the trick. It might be worth trying some vibration therapy of some sort.
 
I had pain so bad that I was unable to hold a cup. Turns out that it was an impinged nerve in the elbow. A brace and a cortisone shot fixed the problem. At that time another physician diagnosed cts and wanted to do surgery. Glad I got a second opinion.
 
I've never had the surgery but I know many people that have. If you do have the surgery, don't rush the recovery. Make sure to let it heal correctly because I know people that rushed the recovery and caused scare tissue, so they had to have surgery again. Majority of people have Carpal Tunnel issues from using a mouse and keyboard. Playing guitar puts your wrist and hand in a completely different position, so you might have to wait longer to play guitar than the average person going back to using their mouse and keyboard. Talk to your surgeon and let them know you play guitar and have concerns.
 
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