I’m pretty sure I have carpal tunnel as I have all the symptoms, and the doctor said that’s most likely what it is. I’m doing all the necessary treatment, so how long until it goes away?
Carpal Tunnel is a lifetime condition.
It is caused by a swelling of tendons inside the 8 bones of the wrist; the swelling is created by a narrowing of those bones. This could be a genetic condition or some other problem. The only way to reverse the condition is to have surgery to shave off part of the interior of those bones. This is delicate surgery and risky at that since it has to be done so near the nerves of the hand. You should only resort to surgery after exhausting ALL other alternatives.
The swelling can be treated with medications like Motrin, Aleve or other NSAIDS (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). Once the swelling goes down then you can return to your normal activates. Any program that claims to treat Carpal Tunnel, and there are a lot of them, is a phony unless they handle the swelling. Those programs that claim to cure Carpal Tunnel are phony as well. The might bring temporary relief and the power of positive thinking is pretty potent, but on average they don’t work.
Of course you will have to change the behavior that aggravated the condition. Use a wrist rest and buy an ergonomic keyboard. The doctor can supply a splint that prevents your hand moving in a fashion that would aggravate the condition.
I had a pain in one of my fingers in my right hand. I was diagnosed, at one time, with Carpal Tunnel. It wasn’t until almost 3 years later that I was diagnosed with a worse condition; Fibromyalgia. If you suspect you have Carpal Tunnel then you need to be diagnosed by a doctor. The pain you are having could be one of several things from, just overuse to nerve damage. It will be difficult to exam the inside of the bones with a normal x-ray machine, a CAT scan or even a MRI might be required. These are expensive machines and in high demand so your doctor may not want to commit to using these machines until they are sure that you do have a continuing problem, and there is a strong chance that it might be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.