How to Know When to Call the Doctor After Carpal Tunnel Surgery

If you are recuperating from an invasive procedure like carpal tunnel surgery, you might need to call the doctor after. Everyone’s bodies heal at a different rate and you may experience setbacks and reactions to medication that were not anticipated. Here are some steps that will help you to know when you need to pick up a phone and take corrective action.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Look for signs of infection. If your wound continues to swell and there is increasing blood from the incision, it should be examined immediately.
2. Keep an eye on possible complications from medication. If you are experiencing side effects such as nausea, dizziness, rashes, blurred vision, depression or any other abnormal conditions, call your doctor before taking another dosage.
3. Think about your threshold for pain. If your prescribed pain medication is not controlling the amount of pain that you feel, or you feel the need to take the pills more often than the prescription suggests, contact your doctor before you make any deviations from the recommended dosage.
4. Watch your progress. If you are unable to perform the recommended post-operative physical therapy as quickly as your doctor said you would and you feel that your function is declining rather than improving, don’t force it. You may be making the situation worse.

Tips & Warnings

• Your doctor will schedule a follow-up consultation to check on your progress and inspect your incisions. If any conditions persist that go beyond what your doctor told you to expect, pick up a telephone and get an answer sooner than your scheduled appointment. Early intervention may save you from further complications.
• It can be difficult to predict how an individual might react to surgery or prescribed medication. You may have an allergy to a certain class of pharmaceuticals that you or your doctor did not know about. If there are any developments that alarm you or a caregiver, do not try to tough it out. Call a hospital immediately and follow their recommendations.