by Tom Nicholson

At some point but you may not have thought it would be something you suffered from. There are many things that can cause it, poor posture and overuse at the keyword is one of them. Initially, you will feel pain, but as the condition progresses, you may also feel weak and numbness. While your doctor wants you to think about surgery, you may not be sure about this just yet.

You should think very hard before having surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. The fact is that many people suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome but have found alternative methods of relieve rather than resort to surgery. Surgery can solve the problem quickly, but is it as long lasting as you need it to be? Is it even in your price range?

Repetitive action is the main culprit here. That may come from throwing a ball too often or typing too much or any job that requires you to use your wrists in the same way over and over again. Because you are repeating the motion so many times, this causes the tightening of the transverse carpal ligament. This ligament has the job of holding all the ligaments in this region of your wrist in place.

Sometimes, the hands and wrists feel weak and unable to be used properly. The pain can run through the hand and up the arm. Even your fingers may feel it. The more times you repeat the actions, the more pressure is placed on the ligaments and nerves. Over time, it becomes harder to do the same motions.

While the surgical procedure designed to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome is not difficult it is invasive. The relief comes from the severing of the transverse carpal ligament. While this is not a problem, initially, over time it leads to weakness in the arms and later the hands. It does relieve the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome rather quickly though.

Aside from problems later on down the road, having this surgery requires at least 6 weeks of therapy and healing for the transverse carpal ligament. It isn’t a fun recovery, and the outcome is completely unknown. For these reasons alone you might consider some alternative techniques to relieving your carpal tunnel pain.

Through stretching and exercise, you can essentially lessen or completely mitigate the effects of carpal tunnel. By stretching the transverse carpal ligament, you can ensure that the median nerve will have no lingering exposure to pressure. Good posture and taking a few breaks from the repetitive tasks can also be a big help. Besides that, surgery can cost upwards of $10,000, and who has that kind of money when you can do stretches for free?

For some, these treatment options will not be enough and surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome will be inevitable. With the aid of second opinions and a fully understanding of what you will encounter, most people can make the right decision for them. Utilize a physical therapist beforehand, to avoid surgery if at all possible.

About the Author:
How much do you really know about carpal tunnel syndrome? Many people do not actually understand the nature of repetitive stress injuries. There are many methods of effective treatment that can be explored. Be sure you understand all there is to know - click on this link to find out what you don’t know about carpal tunnel surgery.