My SFN is the painful type, not numbness. I needed carpal tunnel release in both hands. After trying every option to avoid surgery, I went ahead with it in January. We did my non-dominant hand first. In pre-op, the surgeon and I made a spontaneous decision to also remove a cyst at the base of my thumb. After all the consideration we had given having hand surgery with neuropathy, that part was a mistake.
I reacted to the stitches, and an ice storm, combined with an indifferent office staff, extended my suffering to day 14, when they were removed. For some reason we decided I didn’t need therapy. I couldn’t do the hand massage due to exquisite tenderness and a feeling of raw nerves around the incisions.Finally started OT at 2 months.
Lots of things I will do differently when I do my other hand. That’s how we - and doctors - learn.