How Long Do I Have To Wear My Sling after Shoulder Surgery?

Shoulder, Shoulder Arthritis, Shoulder Pain, Shoulder Replacement, Shoulder Surgeon, Shoulder Surgery

How Long Do I Have To Wear My Sling after Shoulder Surgery?

If you are reading this, you have probably had shoulder pain for a long time. Perhaps you have tried many treatments to help this shoulder pain, including changing your activities, physical therapy, medicines and anti-inflammatories, or even injections. It is also possible that you had an MRI or ultrasound that showed a rotator cuff tear, and you may be considering surgery as an option to treat your shoulder pain for good.

A shoulder scope or “arthroscopy” procedure, like that performed by shoulder specialist Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD, is a time-tested procedure with excellent outcomes. After a period of healing, a very high percentage of patients are happy with their shoulder for the rest of their lives. However, there is a period of healing after the procedure where resting the arm and shoulder is very important.

And this is where a shoulder sling is very helpful.

Most patients who have shoulder surgery want to know how long they will have to wear their sling. This is an excellent question, since if you are wearing a sling, it isn’t easy to use the arm. If you are not able to use one arm, some activities such as dressing, going to the bathroom, driving a car, or working can be difficult.

In brief, the answer to this question depends on the type of surgery that is performed.

There are some shoulder scope procedures that are very simple. These can include “cleanout” procedures or procedures where the only problem is the biceps tendon or “labrum” around the socket. After these procedures, Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD, usually allows his patients to begin to use their operated arm for light activities like eating and drinking whenever they are comfortable doing so. This is because the things that were repaired or cleaned out in the shoulder do not need much protection.

Other shoulder procedures are more complex. Rotator cuff repair, for example, is much more complex and requires more healing time. If you have a small tear, Dr. Nelson may allow you to return to gentle activities with the operated arm 4 weeks after the procedure. For very large tears or “redo” operations, Dr. Nelson may request that you avoid using the arm for up to 6 weeks!

For this reason, it is important to discuss your shoulder procedure with your shoulder surgeon. Raleigh, North Carolina, shoulder specialist Johnny T. Nelson, MD, spends time discussing the healing process with every patient who decides to undergo a shoulder procedure. How long he would have to wear your sling after shoulder surgery depends on the problem that you have and what type of procedure needs to be performed.

Do you have shoulder pain? Are you worried that you have a rotator cuff tear? Call 919-872-5296 today to schedule a visit with Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD, at Raleigh, North Carolina Shoulder Specialist!

How Long Do I Have To Wear My Sling after Shoulder Surgery? Read More »

Can I Have Carpal Tunnel Release On Both Sides At Once?

Carpal tunnel, Hand Surgeon, Sonex, Ultrasound

Can I Have Carpal Tunnel Release On Both Sides At Once?

Unfortunately, carpal tunnel syndrome is very common. One out of every 20 adult Americans has this condition, which can interfere with sleep, work, and free-time activities. Worse still, many have severe problems in both hands.

Sometimes simple treatments for carpal tunnel can help to quiet down the symptoms, especially if the symptoms came on recently. These include oral anti-inflammatories such as steroids or NSAIDs, wearing a wrist splint at night, avoiding activities that make the symptoms worse, and even injections performed by a hand surgeon such as Dr. Nelson.

But what do I do when carpal tunnel on both sides does not get better?

Carpal tunnel release is the time-tested treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. It reliably and quickly relieves the numbness, tingling, and especially night pain and gripping pain due to carpal tunnel syndrome. And in most patients, it does this permanently!

However, patients with carpal tunnel on both sides, also known as “bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome,” worry about having surgery on both hands at the same time. Some are concerned that they will not be able to take care of themselves. For example, they are worried that dressing, going to the bathroom, picking up a small child will become too difficult. Simply put, they feel they need to have one “good hand” to help out while the operated hand heals.

But with new technology and a technique offered by North Carolina Carpal Tunnel Specialist Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD, this is no longer the case.

For many years, carpal tunnel release was done with an open incision in the palm. While this treats and cures the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, the incision in the palm can be painful, especially in the early days after surgery. This can require a prolonged healing time, where heavy or even simple, light activities around the house can be difficult.

However, Dr. Johnny T. Nelson is an expert in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome under ultrasound guidance!

Due to the extremely small “poke” incision on the wrist, without an incision on the palm, the same release and relief of symptoms can be done “inside-out” while shortening the period of healing pain after the surgery. With ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release, most patients with carpal tunnel on both sides have it treated on the same day. With ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release, you may return to all activities immediately, including cooking, hygiene, dressing, and even work, including heavy or repetitive labor.

Since 2022, 50% of patients treated by Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD have both carpal tunnels released at the same time!

If you have carpal tunnel on both sides and you are ready to be free of your symptoms, ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release on the same day for both hands is often the best option for you. But remember, every patient is different! Your treatment plan depends on a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Johnny T. Nelson MD, North Carolina Carpal Tunnel Specialist. Call 919-872-5296 for an appointment.

Can I Have Carpal Tunnel Release On Both Sides At Once? Read More »

Will My Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Come Back After I Have A Carpal Tunnel Release?

Carpal tunnel, Hand Surgeon, Sonex, Ultrasound

Will My Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Come Back After I Have A Carpal Tunnel Release?

This is a question that North Carolina carpal tunnel expert Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD hears a lot.

Understandably, patients want to know if a treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome will be permanent or only temporary. Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause severe problems with work, sleep, and home life, so patients do not want it to return.

For 99% of patients, the answer is NO, your carpal tunnel syndrome will not come back!

This is very good news. Carpal tunnel release, especially carpal tunnel release with ultrasound guidance, has a very high rate of permanent cure and patient satisfaction. This satisfaction lasts a long time, usually lifelong, according to studies.

However, it is important to understand that there are rare situations where carpal tunnel syndrome or similar nerve problems can return. For example, those with diabetes, thyroid problems, or a history of extensive surgery or scarring may be at risk of repeat nerve problems in the future.

If you schedule a visit with Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD, he will likely ask you about medical problems that may place you at risk for nerve problems in the future. He will also perform an exam of your hand and wrist to see if you have other problems that may cause the carpal tunnel syndrome to come back.

Dr. Nelson will also tell you if your carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve problems are very bad. If the nerve problems are very bad, sometimes the problems can be permanent, even if treated by a highly trained specialist.

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome and are growing tired of the numbness, tingling, and waking up at night, call 919-872-5296 today to schedule a visit with Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD.

Will My Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Come Back After I Have A Carpal Tunnel Release? Read More »

When Can I Return to Work after My Carpal Tunnel Release?

Uncategorized

When Can I Return to Work after My Carpal Tunnel Release?

When Raleigh, North Carolina Carpal Tunnel Specialist Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD hears this question, he responds with a question: What do you do for work?

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or are considering a carpal tunnel release, chances are you are planning to have a minimally invasive ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release. Although there are other options, carpal tunnel release with ultrasound guidance allows for quick relief of carpal tunnel symptoms without the need for IVs, anesthesia, sutures, splinting, therapy, and…you guessed it: work restrictions!

But when it comes to returning to work after a carpal tunnel release, there are a few other things to consider.

Since 2022, North Carolina carpal tunnel specialist Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD has performed over 700 carpal tunnel releases with ultrasound guidance. Many of these patients were very busy hairdressers, plumbers, welders, electricians, and delivery drivers. And many of these patients went back to work at 1 to 3 days after the procedure!

While many of these patients had mild soreness in the palm, they were able to return to work because even their heavy work activities cannot do “damage” to the work that was done. Some of these patients did use oral medications like Tylenol or anti-inflammatories at first to allow them to work in comfort. After a few weeks, most of these patients reported being back to normal and no longer needing any medication.

Patients who work “desk jobs,” such as clerks, secretaries, receptionists, salespeople, and other similar professionals can easily return to work after 24 hours.

Studies do show that after a carpal tunnel release, pinch and grip strength does decrease for a short time. During this time, if you work a heavy job, your performance may not be normal. As your hand continues to heal, pinch and grip strength returns to normal. Soon, your job performance will also return to normal.

Dr. Nelson also recommends that in the first 24 hours after carpal tunnel release with ultrasound guidance, the hand or hands are kept elevated and ice is used. During this time, it is not recommended to work. But after 24 hours, activities can be restarted “as tolerated,” meaning that as long as you are comfortable performing the activity, you can do it.

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome and are worried about the time it takes to return to work after a carpal tunnel release, call 919-872-5296 today to schedule a visit with Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD.

When Can I Return to Work after My Carpal Tunnel Release? Read More »