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Nonsurgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome: Pros and cons
By Mayo Clinic staffFor most people with carpal tunnel syndrome, doctors try nonsurgical treatments before opting for surgery. However, the decision is a personal one influenced by the cause and severity of your symptoms and your feelings about surgery. When deciding whether to try nonsurgical options or to skip them, keep these points in mind:
Pros
- Nonsurgical techniques are less invasive than surgery, which means fewer lost workdays or time away from routine activities. You also don't face the rare, but possible, risks of surgery, such as infection, nerve damage or a bad reaction to the anesthetic.
- Most people get at least short-term relief from one or a combination of nonsurgical treatments. Many get long-term relief.
- You can try nonsurgical options first. Then you can have surgery, if the nonsurgical treatments don't work.
Cons
- Nonsurgical techniques are usually effective only in cases of mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.
- They're less likely than surgery to provide permanent symptom relief. They may provide only temporary relief to a long-term problem that may worsen without surgery.
- Nonsurgical treatments may lead you to postpone an operation you'll eventually have to get. If you wait too long to decide on surgery, you may reduce your chance of a completely successful operation.
