Pain following surgery
I had CT release on my left hand on 15 March. The stitches were removed two weeks later. I returned to work this week (office based/computer work). Following the surgery, the CT pain has gone, but I have shooting pains in my wrist, ring and middle finger and thumb and thumb pad, also up my forearm. The scar area is still very red/purple and very sensative and sore to touch. I have restricted movement to my wrist and hand, despite doing the exercises and it will ache at the end of the day. I am driving now (manuel car) however it is still quite painful. There is still some swelling to the area. I am still getting the shooting pains especially in the wrist are and middle finger. Is this all normal following the surgery. Am I due for another appointment to see you. My right hand was assessed also for CT and was marked as a 1. (left being 4 before surgery). Happy to come to Canterbury if you feel it is necessary. Regards, Sarah.
Thank you Dr Bland. I will wait a further six weeks and then if it hasn't improved will go back to my doctor and hopefully he will refer me for physio. Will your unit call for any further tests regarding my right hand? do you monitor the left hand still? Regards, Sarah
We can arrange hand therapy for you if necessary and we will automatically write to you approximately three months from the date of surgery to check on progress and enquire about treating the other hand. JB
Some scars can be tender and associated with these shooting pains for some time after surgery. It varies a lot from person to person and I presume that that results from variations in the amount of local inflammation and scarring that develops in different people after surgery. Usually it will settle in time, though a few unlucky people get long term scar tenderness and pain. As long as the original CTS symptoms have resolved satisfactorily I would wait about 6 weeks for the scar to settle and if it is still a major problem then I would perhaps try some hand therapy - though there is no concrete evidence as to whether it helps or not. JB