What is the conventional treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome?
The conventional treatment for CTS is to rest the affected hand and apply ice packs. Drug treatment begins with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and, sometimes, diuretics to reduce swelling. Oral prednisone may be prescribed or lidocaine, a nerve-numbing anesthetic, may be injected into the wrist. Surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome may be recommended if symptoms last for six months. It involves severing or “releasing” the band of tissue around the wrist to reduce pressure on the median nerve. Surgery is an outpatient procedure, done under local anesthesia. It is performed via a two-inch incision in the wrist or endoscopically through two small incisions in the wrist and palm. A miniature camera is inserted through one of the incisions, through which the surgeon can visualize the tissue on a screen while surgical instruments are inserted through the other incision. Risks of either type of surgery include infection, nerve damage, stiffness and pain at the scar and, sometimes, a loss
