How to Know the Best Time to Have Carpal Tunnel Surgery

If you have exhausted all other avenues for relieving the discomfort of carpal tunnel syndrome, you may be asking yourself, “When is the best time to have carpal tunnel surgery?” Only you and your doctor can answer this question, but here are a few steps to help you with this decision.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Schedule your surgery before your condition worsens. If surgery is the only option, a procedure as early as possible will help prevent nerve damage and inflammation from the pressure of the carpal ligament.
2. Look at your work schedule. If you work in a job that is predictably busier during certain times of year, schedule your surgery at the end of one of the busy cycles so that you can rehabilitate at a recommended pace.
3. Consult with friends and family. If one or both of your hands have limited flexibility and function while you recover, you’ll need the help of family and friends to get to appointments at your doctor and physical therapist’s offices as well as doing other errands.
4. Talk to your surgeon. They will be able to tell you when it is most advantageous to have your surgery based on the severity of your condition. They may be flexible on this, but if they suggest that action be taken as soon as possible, there are likely to be mitigating circumstances that determine their sense of urgency.
5. Consider your overall health. If you have other ailments other than the carpal tunnel syndrome at the time you want to schedule surgery, you may want to reconsider. For the best possible outcome, you should be healthy whenever you have surgery.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider an early morning appointment. Studies suggest that people experience less pain in the morning than they do at any other time of the day. If the anesthetic wears off in the morning hours, you will need less medication to alleviate pain throughout the rest of the day.
• Any carpal tunnel surgery carries the risks of infection, as well as the possibility of permanent impairment of function by damaging the median nerve. Ask your surgeon about the risks so that you can weigh your options and make the best decision.