How to Know How Long It Takes to Recover After Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Many factors contribute to the recovery time from a surgery. If you want to know how long it takes to recover after carpal tunnel surgery, you have to know what type of surgery will be performed, the chance of infection or other complications, the patient’s age and many other factors.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Know what type of surgery will be performed. There are two main types of carpal tunnel surgery: open release surgery and endoscopic surgery.
2. Open release surgery requires a bigger incision. This is the traditional type of carpal tunnel surgery. The wrist is opened with a long incision and then the carpal ligament is cut. Because a large cut is made, more recovery time can be expected.
3. Endoscopic surgery requires a smaller incision. By using a small camera, the surgeon is able to see the carpal ligament without opening up the wrists. This minimizes the amount of downtime that a patient can expect.
4. Infection in the incision can lengthen the amount of time it takes to make a full recovery. Patients with weakened immune systems can expect a longer recovery time after carpal tunnel surgery.
5. Older people heal more slowly than younger people after an injury or surgery.

Tips & Warnings

• Although relief of symptoms is almost immediate, full recovery from the surgery can be a lengthy process. Some patients may develop soreness or tenderness at the incision site or even lose strength in the wrists.
• Recovery times from carpal tunnel surgery range from a few weeks to several months. If you have factors that tend to increase recovery time, such as advanced age or weakened immune system, your full recovery may take longer.
• Don’t forget to include environmental factors such as diet and activity level. These two factors can dramatically influence the recovery time for better or worse.