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I had carpal tunnel surgery 7 months ago and still have numbness

Posted by garyw2 @garyw2, Nov 12, 2023

I had carpal tunnel surgery on both wrists 7 months ago. My left palm is still very numb and my right hand has numbness in the fingers. My surgeon had me go to hand therapy 8 weeks which did nothing to help. Last week he sent me in for a nerve conduction and EMG test, results will be shared with me tomorrow. Could this still be a healing process or is something wrong?

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gently | @gently | Nov 12, 2023

"The pain and numbness may go away right after surgery or may take several months (up to 12 months) to subside, depending on the degree of median nerve damage from prolonged compression in the carpal tunnel. Try to avoid heavy use of your hand for up to 3 months."
It's good your surgeon is sending you for nerve conduction testing. The nerves usually regenerate from damage and even from severance. Let us know your results.
Best wishes.
https://carpaltunnel.ie/after-surgery/#:~:text=The%20pain%20and%20numbness%20may,for%20up%20to%203%20months.

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1 reply
garyw2 | @garyw2 | Nov 12, 2023
In reply to @gently ""The pain and numbness may go away right after surgery or may take several months (up..." + (show)
@gently

"The pain and numbness may go away right after surgery or may take several months (up to 12 months) to subside, depending on the degree of median nerve damage from prolonged compression in the carpal tunnel. Try to avoid heavy use of your hand for up to 3 months."
It's good your surgeon is sending you for nerve conduction testing. The nerves usually regenerate from damage and even from severance. Let us know your results.
Best wishes.
https://carpaltunnel.ie/after-surgery/#:~:text=The%20pain%20and%20numbness%20may,for%20up%20to%203%20months.

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Thank you. I will post again after my appointment tomorrow to hear about
the test results.

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Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Nov 12, 2023

@garyw2 There can be other causes with overlapping symptoms that were missed. For example, I had carpal tunnel surgery, and it did not correct all the numbness and tingling. It turned out I also had thoracic outlet syndrome which causes the same symptoms by affecting the same nerves where they pass through the neck and shoulders.

Here is some information.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353988
My therapy for TOS is myofascial release therapy done by my physical therapist. Here is some information about that too.

Neuropathy - "Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

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