Surgery Beats Splints For Carpal Tunnel

Rio writes: "A local6.com article tells us about a study that suggests surgery may be more effective than splints for treating carpal tunnel syndrome. In the study, 87 patients underwent open carpal tunnel release surgery, in which ligaments surrounding the median nerve are cut to relieve pressure on the nerve, compared to 89 patients who wore a splint for their wrists, which reduced movement. The researchers found that the surgery left 80 percent of patients significantly improved after three months. Splints left only 54 percent significantly improved."

Comments

try exercising

[Kraft]

I started using one of these two weeks ago, and I am experiencing an improvement. I don't know if it's CTS I have, but I have problems sleeping due to swelling. Check them out.

Re:try exercising

[Nohea]

I has tendinitis years ago, and the things that helped me were proper positioning (without any brace things), and exercise.

If your muscles are strong enough, there's less stress on the tendons and ligaments. Within a month of easing into weightlifing, i could feel the pain going away.

No fucking kidding.

[Tom7]

What do you know? A more drastic and invasive procedure has a greater effect. Except, splints cost $6, and surgery costs thousands and leaves you without the use of your hands for weeks.

Beware of Surgeons!

[mildness]

Surgeons have expensive habits to support.

Know this. If you seek medical advice each doctor will recommend his speciality. It's whatever tool is handy. Surgeons think they can cure anything with a knife.

Do your own research by talking to actual patients. If you talk to a few people that have had CTS surgery you will soon be talked out it.

Look into ergonomic solutions, massage therapy, abstinence from computers (that or stop masturbating, your pick), exercise, etc.

Cheers,

Beal

Easy Solution: Small Keyboard Shelf

[X-rated Ouroboros]

Since the unnatural contortions and stresses that lead to carpal tunnel seem to stem from typing while resting your wrists in front of the keyboard the absurdly simple solution would be, hey, don't do that.

I've often pondered how it happened that I've managed to use a computer continuously for the past decade without developing CTS while I've had friends have to quit after three years in similar jobs.

The answer? I had shitty computer furniture early on. It was too small. I hated the fucking thing. But, because the keyboard was forced right up to the edge of the desk, I got in the habit of hovering over the keyboard rather than resting my wrists in front of it.

Now, even though I could get a good four inches of desk in front of the keyboard, I still have my hands floating above the table top as I type. Plus, I suppose I get some small amount of exercise by supporting the weight of my arms... heh.

I am not a doctor, o' course, so don' go tryin' this jus' cuz I sez it works fer me.