post op
Had an EMG that showed severe bilateral CT lesions worse on the right, although I was mostly asymptomic. The doctor who did the study could not believe the height of my pain threshold.
So I had my op 3 days ago to my right hand.
Changed my dressing and removed my bandage, as advised after 48 hrs.
But have found I'm still experiencing pain particularly just below where my wrist joins my palm and I find the need to put my arm into my sling to get relief. Have to say I admire others who have not taken any pain relief.
Whats the best exercises to do at this stage and is there anything I can do to help my recovery?
read some useful posts in this forum.
Well, pre operatively there was definately no muscle contour at my thumb base, although I have had periods of numbness and tingling especially on waking and the odd pain but truly nothing otherwise. The medics were surprised that I had no significant weakness, or problems sleeping due to pain.
Now 6wks post op I am getting pains that wake me from sleep that feel very sharp almost like hot needles within the scar tissue quite deep in my hand and on the back of my hand beside the bone below my little finger. Now my wrist where I had the op is weaker and the muscle there feels contracted still tight.I take a strong analgesgic pain relief but that does not halt this v uncomfortable pain. Should I be asking to see the consultant ( who is highly respected) as oppose to a team member for my 6 wk appt?
Considering your reply and because this op has made things worse rather than better I'll definately leave my left hand alone - it aint broke so I dont want it fixed!!!
What do you suggest?
Definitely a good idea to try and see the consultant. Get the nerve conduction studies repeated to check that the nerve has been released but from the desciption of the problem I would guess that it has been - these symptoms sound like the complications of cutting the transverse carpal ligament. Which part of the country are you in? JB
I'm based in NE London and have asked for an appt with the consultant as opposed to a 'team member'. I will also speak to my GP regarding repeating the nerve conduction study.
Its all very uncomfortable and the pains are disturbing.
If they don't manage to sort it out locally you are near enough to get referred to my clinic at King's College for a second opinion but hopefully they can work out what is going on without having to send you South of the river. JB
Thank you for your help and guidance. It was been wonderful to speak albeit silently to an expert.
It has been truly appreciated and I will keep in touch.
Even via the rather imperfect medium of a text exchange like this, every patient who tells me their story adds to my experience of CTS so thankyou for sharing yours. I hope it works out OK in the end. JB
Well still here now some 7 mths later and its getting worse. Initially I was told to allow things to settle as it all takes time, the surgeon informed me. He didnt do the op; it was one of his registrars. He seems only interested in moving onto the other hand!!
However my pains have become worse. I'm now having difficulty making a fist especially first thing in the morning and have use my left hand to curl the fingers. My little finger is the worse affected, it has become triggered. I've been getting some strange soring pains right across my right palm just below the knuckles and still get shooting pains as before on the back of my hand and in my wirsts.
Pressing the scar remains painful so I avoid resting on the palms. I think I will need to speak to my GP about a second opinion.
I'm sorry it's still a problem. At this point what you really need is a specialist hand surgeon to give a second opinion - did you ever manage to get any post-op nerve conduction studies done?.. and did the first surgeon eventually discharge you or are they still following it up as it has now clearly been 'given time'. I presume that the other hand was not done. JB
I guess the first question one would ask here is what 'mostly asymptomatic' means. If you genuinely had little or no tingling/pain/numbness/weakness and there was no visible change in the contour of the muscles at the base of the thumb then one would wonder whether it was worth surgery, regardless of what the NCS showed.
You then say 'still' experiencing pain - does that mean pain that was present before surgery is still there now, or does it mean that it is still painful after the surgery. It's hard to give advice at this point without being able to see the hand and without knowing the pre-operative NCS but as I said to someone else recently, a practical policy is to give it 14 days after surgery and if the hand is still a significant nuisance in everyday life at that point get it seen by someone competent in assessing failed carpal tunnel decompression.
Exercise in the first few days after surgery should be confined to non-load bearing finger movements - ie wiggling the fingers not carrying 20lb shopping bags. JB