Further Outpatient Care

See the list below:

Monitor motor and sensory function and subjective symptoms.
Acupuncture can be an alternative for patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome who cannot tolerate oral steroids or have a contraindication to their use, or for those who do not opt for early surgery. In a randomized, controlled study by Yang et al, short-term acupuncture treatment proved effective as short-term low-dose prednisolone.^[60]

Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

NSAIDs may be beneficial.

Prognosis

See the list below:

For mild cases, conservative treatment is usually adequate.
Surgical decompression usually produces good results. Patients with advanced thenar muscle atrophy usually do not recover fully after surgical decompression.
CTS that is caused by or aggravated by an underlying disease (eg, diabetes) has a worse prognosis.

Patient Education

See the list below:

Modifying occupation or ergonomic conditions (eg, tools) may be beneficial.
For excellent patient education resources, see eMedicineHealth's patient education article Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

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Media Gallery

Scars from carpal tunnel release surgery.
Anatomy of the carpal tunnel.
Anatomy of the median nerve and the carpal tunnel.

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Author

Friedhelm Sandbrink, MD Assistant Professor of Neurology, Georgetown University School of Medicine; Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Director, EMG Laboratory and Chief, Chronic Pain Clinic, Department of Neurology, Washington Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Friedhelm Sandbrink, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Pain Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Neil A Busis, MD Chief of Neurology and Director of Neurodiagnostic Laboratory, UPMC Shadyside; Clinical Professor of Neurology and Director of Community Neurology, Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Physicians

Neil A Busis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine

Disclosure: Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for: American Academy of Neurology<br/>Serve(d) as a speaker or a member of a speakers bureau for: American Academy of Neurology<br/>Received income in an amount equal to or greater than $250 from: American Academy of Neurology.

Chief Editor

Nicholas Lorenzo, MD, CPE, MHCM, FAAPL Co-Founder and Former Chief Publishing Officer, eMedicine and eMedicine Health, Founding Editor-in-Chief, eMedicine Neurology; Founder and Former Chairman and CEO, Pearlsreview; Founder and CEO/CMO, PHLT Consultants; Former Chief Medical Officer, MeMD Inc

Nicholas Lorenzo, MD, CPE, MHCM, FAAPL is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Neurology, American Association for Physician Leadership

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Stephen A Berman, MD, PhD, MBA Professor of Neurology, University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Stephen A Berman, MD, PhD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Neurology, Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.