Your doctor will ask you to return for a follow-up visit approximately one week later. At this time, she will assess your initial healing, and will most likely remove the bandage or splint. She will also provide you with further instructions regarding what to expect with your recovery moving forwards.
The pain should begin to subside a few days to a week or so after surgery. If your pain is worsening and not improving, contact your physician. Tell him what is going on, and he will determine whether or not you need to come in sooner than a routine follow-up.
Pain that steadily increases, rather than decreases, following surgery. A fever and/or redness, swelling, and discharge from the area that was operated on. Any of these may be signs of an infection. Bleeding from the surgical site — this is abnormal and will require evaluation from your doctor. If you notice any of the complications above, contact your doctor to check in and to treat any complications as needed.
If you are interested in quitting smoking, speak to your family doctor who can help you with this. There are a variety of medications available that can help to tame your cigarette cravings. There are also nicotine replacement options that can substitute for the nicotine you used to get from cigarettes, as you begin a smoking cessation program. Ideally, you would quit smoking at least four weeks before receiving the surgery. However, quitting at any time is beneficial and will help with the healing process.
Physiotherapists are specifically trained to help you maximize muscular strength and joint mobility in your carpal tunnel region, so adhering to the program they design for you will play an important role in determining how well you recover from surgery.
Ask your boss if you can switch to something that does not involve excessive wrist and/or hand movement while you recover. Alternatively, if you cannot switch jobs, you may need to opt for typing slowly with one hand in order not to exacerbate your injury, and to help with recovery. Consider using a trackball or trackpad instead of a mouse while recovering as these put less pressure on the wrist when used. If you have coverage, you may opt for a short-term leave from work while you recover so that your job does not negatively interfere with the healing process. Patients are often advised to take at least one week off prior to resuming desk duties, and more for forms of work where the type of labor puts more strain on their wrist or hand. Return-to-work expectations vary significantly depending upon your type of employment. [13] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
There is one medical study that has been done to follow up with patients approximately five years after carpal tunnel release surgery. In this study, just over 50% of patients reported a slight return of symptoms after two or more years; however, for almost all of them, the return of symptoms was mild and not bothersome enough to seek further medical attention. [15] X Research source
The best course of action is highly variable from case to case, so it is important to see your physician sooner rather than later if you are suffering from ongoing pain.
