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When Can I Return to Work After Carpal Tunnel Release?

hand holding wrench vectorWhen can I return to work after carpal tunnel release?

This is the most common question patients ask while discussing carpal tunnel release surgery with their doctor.  It is a very important question.  Our ability to work is one reason to consider carpal tunnel release, since carpal tunnel syndrome can severely affect your ability to use your hands and work well.  Our ability to work is how we pay rent, feet our families, and one way to find fulfillment in life.

But many patients avoid having carpal tunnel release!

This is understandable and not very surprising. After talking to friends, family, and co-workers who have had older forms of carpal tunnel release, many are afraid of how much time they will need to take off of work. They also worry about the pain of the healing process and the physical therapy that will be needed. But this fear is often caused by a misunderstanding of how quick, comfortable, and targeted modern carpal tunnel release techniques are!

Raleigh North Carolina Carpal Tunnel Specialist Dr. Johnny T. Nelson offers carpal tunnel release under ultrasound guidance. 

This requires only a small pea-sized “poke” over the wrist (not the palm), no IV or anesthesia is required, no painful tourniquet is required. Also, both sides often are performed on the same day if you have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands.  See here for a video where Dr. Nelson explains the healing after this procedure. Unlike other traditional methods of releasing the carpal tunnel, this technique does not require a long open incision in the palm or across the wrist.  The “old” technique does work to relieve carpal tunnel symptoms, but there are “innocent bystanders” caught in the action. Skin and tissue is unnecessarily cut through and makes performing release on both sides too painful. With the ”old” technique patients often need therapy or weeks or months off of work.

Okay, that sounds good, but with the new technique, how much time off do I need?

First of all, the amount of time you need off of work really depends on what you do for work.  Dr. Johnny T. Nelson does not usually restrict your activities after carpal tunnel release.  This is because most activities, even heavier activities will not “ruin” the work that was done.  It is however good to wait 3-5 days before doing very heavy gripping such as yard work, heavy tools, and lifting weights. This allows the hands to “cool down,” after the procedure.

It is also important to understand that every patient is a little bit different and heals differently.  There is no “one size fitsHow to Stop Hand and Wrist Pain When Typing all” healing after carpal tunnel release.  Some patients are comfortable enough to perform heavy gripping, pushing, and pulling 3 days after carpal tunnel release, while some patients those activities may take several weeks to return. Many plumbers, electricians, and mechanics have their carpal tunnel release on a Thursday, and are back to work the following Monday! In a few patients, return to full grip and pinch strength may take 1-2 months.

If you work at a desk during the day, and perform other light activities such as answering phones and handling papers and light paperwork, you can return to work immediately, even the day after the procedure.

If you perform repetitive activities, such as assembly line, cutting fabric, factory work, or hairdressing, you may need to take more time off of work, such as 2 to 4 weeks.  Again, this is not because your job will interfere with your healing or ruin the surgery, but because you may be uncomfortable performing repetitive activities all day long.  Most patients with these types of jobs are able to return with restrictions right away, or “play things by ear” and returned to work when they feel good enough.

There are special jobs where patients need more time due to the nature of their work.  For example, police officers do and perform certain activities that need to be 100% expertly performed before they can return to work.  The same applies to lifeguards.

Do you have carpal tunnel syndrome?  Are you worried about how long you will need to stay out of work?  Call 919-872-5296 today to schedule a visit with Raleigh North Carolina Carpal Tunnel Specialist Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD.  He will discuss your condition and situation in detail and together you will form a plan on how to treat your carpal tunnel symptoms with minimal interruption to your life and work.

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

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Dr. Nelson Now Offering Free Telephone Carpal Tunnel Screening!

Screenshot 2023 10 04 at 5.30.49 PMNorth Carolina Carpal Tunnel Specialist Dr. Johnny Nelson MD now offers free telephone screening for those who think they have carpal tunnel.

For those who struggle with hand or wrist pain, sometimes knowing where to start is the hardest part. That’s why you should start with a board-certified, fellowship-trained carpal tunnel expert like Dr. Nelson. With a few simple questions over the phone, Dr. Nelson’s team at Raleigh Upper Ex and The Bone & Joint Surgery Clinic will tell you whether an in-person clinic visit is right for you.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is so common that most patients can diagnose the condition. However there are some other conditions with similar symptoms to carpal tunnel syndrome that can cause confusion. These problems include pinched nerves in the neck and elbow, thumb arthritis, and hand and wrist tendon inflammation. But even if you feel certain you have carpal tunnel, it is best to discuss your problems with a specialist before attempting self-treatment.

Dr. Johnny Nelson is the first and only orthopaedic surgeon in the RDU area to offer minimally-invasive carpal tunnel release with ultrasound guidance (US-CTR). Unlike other methods of carpal tunnel release, this procedure requires only a tiny poke incision on the wrist, not the hand. It does not require expensive anesthesia or painful tourniquet, and both hands are often treated in one session.

Simply call the front desk at The Bone & Joint Surgery Clinic at 919-872-5296 and ask for the free telephone carpal tunnel screening. Dr. Nelson is also available for in-person visits through the same number.

Dr. Nelson Now Offering Free Telephone Carpal Tunnel Screening! Read More »

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Can I Have My Carpal Tunnel Released on Both Sides at the Same Time?

0127b 1What do I do if I have carpal tunnel on both sides?

Unfortunately, carpal tunnel syndrome is very common.  1 out of every 20 adult Americans has this condition, which can interfere with sleep, the quality of life, the use of the hands both at home and at work. Symptoms include numbness and tingling, especially in your thumb, pointer, and middle finger, waking up at night to shake your hands out, pain and numbness/tingling with activities that require gripping and repetitive wrist motions (holding a steering wheel, using tools, knitting, etc.).

Worse still, many have severe problems in both hands, and that may be YOU.

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

But what happens when you have carpal tunnel on both sides that does not respond to these measures?

Carpal tunnel release is a great treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.  No matter how it is performed, it reliably relieves your numbness, tingling, and especially night pain and gripping pain due to carpal tunnel syndrome.

However, you may be worried about having surgery on both hands at the same time, also called “bilateral” carpal tunnel release.  Maybe you have concerns that you will not be able to take care of yourself or others (children, elderly parents), dress yourself, use the bathroom, prepare food, and participate in other activities of daily life. Or perhaps you are concerned that you will have to take too much time off of work, and that is something you can’t afford. Simply put, you may feel the need to have one “good hand” to help out while the operated hand heals.

But with new technologies and techniques, this is no longer the case.

In years past, carpal tunnel release was always done through an open incision in the palm.  While this can reliably treat and cure the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, the incision in the palm can be painful especially in the early days and weeks after surgery.  This can require prolonged periods of healing where heavier activities or even simple activities around the house can be difficult for you or need to be avoided altogether.

However, Dr. Johnny T. Nelson uses a new technology to treat your carpal tunnel syndrome under ultrasound guidance.  Due to the extremely smallsonexhealed incision (about the size of a pea!) further back on the wrist, and no incision on the palm, the same release and relief of your symptoms can be performed while minimizing the period of healing pain after the surgery.

With ultrasound guided carpal tunnel release, almost all 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 manual labor. There is no splinting or casting required, there is no heavy anesthesia on the day of surgery. Some patients who do very heavy work with their hands (for example, mechanics, plumbers, and other heavy laborers) may need to allow for 5-7 days for the area to heal.

In Dr. Nelson’s experience, he has yet to encounter a patient who has had ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release done on both sides who wishes that they had it done only on one side.  However, many patients who had it done on one side only for fear of the healing process wish they had it performed on both sides.

So to answer your question: YES!  If you have carpal tunnel on both sides, and your symptoms are bad enough to need surgery, ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release on the same day for both hands is often the best option for you. Click here for a complimentary printable handout about what to expect from ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release.

Remember, every patient is different, your treatment depends on a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Johnny T. Nelson which includes a physical exam and discussion of your symptoms.  If you are a candidate for ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release, even if on both sides at the same time, he will let you know.  Call 919-872-5296 for an appointment, or visit www.drnelsonctr.com to learn more.

Can I Have My Carpal Tunnel Released on Both Sides at the Same Time? Read More »

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