Anyway, I had carpal tunnel surgery first, but not all the symptoms went away from my left hand, so they tested for cubital tunnel, which was positive. Our null hypothesis was that there are no identifiable differences … if symptoms are better, surgery not indicated. Thank you, Me, Rest and physical therapy are always the primary treatment for both Carpal tunnel and Cubital tunnel syndromes. You may also be able to thank your family — no, really. The point of my mail was I want to get a second opinion because if I am going to pay 15k or more per arm and go through the surgery and recovery process (downtime). He treats both carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome at the Fitzmaurice Hand Institute™ in Scottsdale, Arizona. Using a hand that has been operated on for Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery before it has completely healed can result in serious potential complications and generation of scar tissue. :), RT @SimoAhava: Yay! If you think that you may have cubital tunnel syndrome, see your doctor.  Parts of the book made me a bit sad and frustrated, reading how Dr. Pascarelli took the time to video tape his patients to help figure out exactly what they were doing at the computer that potentially caused their injuries. The ulnar nerve passes close to the skin's surface in the area of the elbow commonly called the "funny bone." – Me, Other specialists that do this kind of surgery are neurosurgeon01, plasticsurgeon02, orthopedichand surgeon03. Repetitive Strain Injury: A Computer User’s Guide, Pardon the dust Dreamcore 4.0 in progress. My stitches are very tender. This is the period of aftercare for carpal tunnel surgery where most … Yes, the thought of doing the surgery very frightening for me too. the problem arises if sympotoms recur with resuming activity, in which case surgery is the only option that may allow return to full activity, ( I am banging my head against my desk at this point and wondering if this was copy and pasted out of a book ), Doctor, I understand this, but the specialist has told me I need surgery, the physical therapist then canceled all my other appointments when this occurred. 🙂, I just registered for Columbus WAW - February 2021 at Columbus Web Analytics Wednesdays #measure https://t.co/21mLFPnBKe via @EventEspresso. My EMG and NCS studies indicated both and will have the double whammy surgery on the 24th. I need some assistance in obtaining second opinion from either another specialist and or someone who is well versed in RSI type injuries. “People with severe cubital tunnel syndrome won’t have the strength to grasp things. The specialist wants to do two surgeries in each arm as I described in my other email. I've had weekly follow-ups with physio and have worked hard on getting mobility back but it feels a long way off still. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel — a narrow … I just had surgery for carpal and cubital tunnel at the same time, on my left arm, almost three weeks ago. Dear Doctor, I have been doing physical therapy for my hands and have been seen by Dr. Hand Specialist. Carpal tunnel syndrome happens due to median nerve pressure. Therefore it is strongly recommended that you do not have an operation on both hands simultaneously for carpal tunnel release. @Thomasowns1 Thanks so much! Have lost both motor and sensory skills because of the cubital syndrone and doc says will not loose any further after the surgery although he thinks what I've lost so far won't be recovered. I had carpal and cubital tunnel surgery last Thursday. Can you have both at the same time? I am still in a lot of pain. Patients experience different symptoms from each of them. . After three weeks at my second appointment, I was told that he recommended surgery for Cubital and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Surgery can relieve compression of the entrapped nerve, but cubital tunnel surgery is not without complications. There are possible complications from the surgery, and while the chance of these complications is small, the patient having carpal tunnel surgery should understand these possible risks. See us at Neuroscience Specialist for carpal tunnel surgeon. The success rates of open surgery, and the single-portal and dual-portal endoscopic methods are 91.6%, 93.4% and 92.5%, respectively. Twice as many carpal tunnel release surgeries can be performed in the same amount of time at 25% of the cost of a regular surgery; Dr. Kam suggested Emily consider the benefits of having her surgery done while conscious. And cubital tunnel syndrome is pinched nerve at the elbow, and it's the ulnar nerve. It is also common for the conditions to be present in both arms at the same time. But when you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you get tingling, pain, lack of sensation in the fingers. 2015 Jan 5;112(1-2):14-25; quiz 26. Cubital tunnel syndrome is a condition in which the ulnar nerve, also known as the funny bone, is compressed.The typical result is pain and weakness in the ring finger, pinky and elbow. During open carpal tunnel release surgery, the transverse carpal ligament is cut, which releases pressure on the mean nerve and alleviates the signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. You may be experiencing this pain due to repetitive hand movement repeating the same hand and wrist motions over a long period of time. Not everyone is wired the same so sometimes carpal tunnel syndrome can affect all the fingers of the hand, but this would be considered atypical. The treatments like corticosteroids and braces may be helpful, but you may need help of carpal tunnel surgeon in more severe cases. Every other part of these two types of operations are almost the same. I had 6 months of agonising nerve pain before I was diagnosed. So, did you do it? Surgery is a common treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.Surgery can either be performed as a traditional open surgery or as an endoscopic minimally invasive surgery.. In endoscopic cubital tunnel release surgery, the surgeon makes one or two smaller skin incisions and inserts a thin instrument equipped with a miniature camera – called an endoscope. This tunnel is squeezed and pinched on your median nerve if you get swelling in your wrist. What about the pain of surgery, recovery, physical therapy, the downtime from work and my family not to mention the cost? in which she replied yeah I guess those were valid points but that the surgery might still be helpful blah blah blah.  She said my test results had been normal, but the tests were done in May and it was likely that more had developed since then. One may suffer from a hot like burning sensation. #GoogleTagManager now lets you do BULK ACTIONS with Triggers! Both carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome are caused by the compression of the respective nerves, which can arise from a lifestyle of holding a certain position for extended periods of time. I work on the computer all day. The numbness may lead to itchiness of the hand palms or the thumb, the index and middle fingers. This is a private blog site not a business, hence we do not advertise, we do not collect personal information, or work with any third parties. They aim to cut the ligament that holds the wrist bones together. It’s possible your symptoms are part of the recovery from surgery, and they may improve with time. There is a test called an EMG,electrode myleogram which test for the nerve impulses. Carpal tunnel syndrome can weaken hand and wrist muscles over time. Durring my time in physical therapy I was given an ultrasound treatments to the elbow in both my left and right arm, a list of hand / arm exercises and stretches, I pretty much cut down my computer use at home by 80%, I was also given two splints that I was told to sleep with alternating the arms between left and right each night. When performed by experienced hands, all these procedures have complication rates below 1%. This is also the time to begin hand therapy after carpal tunnel surgery. When you decide to go for carpal tunnel surgery in both hands, definitely do not do both hands simultaneously except if you have a close proximately complete caregiver with whom you have a close personal connation and trust for several weeks of personal hygiene and intimate care. That's because there's … Soft tissue healing takes at least six weeks, and if complications with bacterial infection arise, can take up to 8 weeks or even 12 weeks. I have an incision on the palm of my hand as well as on the elbow. I have limited range of motion in my arm. In fact, Dr. Kam is one of the few advocates for the wide-awake carpal tunnel release surgery, and prefers using local anesthesia to keep patients … This means that the nerve is compressed, causing hand and arm pain that can be debilitating. The difference is that, carpal tunnel syndrome is a pinched nerve at the wrist, and it's the median nerve. It's harder to grasp, grasp, or pinch objects as you have once done. You will also do more vigorous activities with your hand. The full feeling in my ring and pinky fingers in both hands has not returned which makes me fear that the surgery might be necessary, but I want to be certain that surgery is the only way to heal this before moving forward. This … Unfortunately there is probably not going to be a right answer for this since the EMG was normal but your symptoms are fairly typical for nerve impingemnt so I understand his thought. Carpal and Cubital Tunnel Syndromes Are Not the Same While alike in name, carpal tunnel vs cubital tunnel syndrome are quite different and have similar, though different treatments. If your EMG was abnormal then that is more reason pushing towards having the surgery done, however the choice will be yours based on your own circumstances and what you feel is right for you. By the time work comp approved the CuTS surgery, it was probably a good 3 months after the carpal tunnel surgery that I had cubital tunnel surgery. I mean what if they cut into my arm and are like ‘oops’ wrong spot the nerve isn’t pinched there? I received a call back the next day, she was nicer but basically told me what I already knew and did not provide any helpful information. There is a high likelihood that you are placed in a position where your hand has to be used to perform a work with too much force before the injured tissue is finished, even if you think you will have the caregiver's full time attention. The ligament runs across the top of your wrist bones and creates a narrow channel in your wrist.  Of course my insurance company requires that I receive referrals to see a specialist, so that meant going back to square one and talking to my Primary Care Physician. I wrote an email to my Doctor, trying to explain to the best of my ability what has happened since they had referred me to the first specialist. The recovery process varies, but for me it has been a year since my first surgery (right arm) and i’m still doing physical therapy to get rid of the tendinitis I have in my forearm. I also decided to call my neurologist back to maybe see if they had an opinion, or perhaps might suggest a NCV test. Cubital tunnel syndrome (also known as ulnar neuropathy) is a nerve compression syndrome which affects the ulnar nerve that runs along the inside of the elbow. My Physical therapist Kathy was very nice she recommended a book for me to read called “Repetitive Strain Injury: A Computer User’s Guide” by Emil Pascarelli, MD. Yes, you can have both carpal and cubital syndrone at the same time. If you think that you may be suffering from one of these conditions, it’s important that you see a qualified physician or specialist to help you identify the problem and find the … @ZedtheGamer Yes absolutely busy good! My doc is … It would be a good idea, however, to meet with your surgeon now, so he or she can reassess your condition and decide if you need additional tests or treatment. The top knuckles of my pinky and ring finger will not bend without assistance from my other hand. The cookies we use do not contain chocolate chips, you cannot eat it and there is no special hidden jar. Rest and physical therapy are always the primary treatment for both Carpal tunnel and Cubital tunnel syndromes. Nothing expressed herein creates a doctor-patient relationship. if symptoms are better, surgery not indicated. Treatment for severe cubital tunnel syndrome is usually surgery, which may involve repositioning the ulnar nerve, dividing a nearby ligament or shaving off a small amount of bone. Miss you lots little bro, hope you’re doing well. If you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, your surgeon may operate on both hands at the same time. Carpal and cubital tunnel and other, rarer nerve compression syndromes Dtsch Arztebl Int. Additional Details They will do both arms too, but I don't know how much time wil elapse between the two surgery. The thought of both arms being taken from me for a few days is scary! Finger Numbness After Carpal Tunnel Surgery Symptoms. The thought of surgery after only three weeks of physical therapy was difficult for me to accept. Stretching, strengthening, and range of motion exercises are all part of the physical therapy your hand will need. Even then they were unsure as they think my shoulder is affected too! Carpal tunnel syndrome isn’t just about typing Although carpal tunnel syndrome first developed a widespread reputation due to its afflicting workers who spent a lot of time on computer keyboards, typing is just one cause, and … This will reduce the amount of time you will need to take off from work as well as treatment costs, as you are in the operating room one time instead of two. You will most likely need assistance with your activities of daily living for at least the first 2 weeks after surgery. Without using either hand, life can be complicated. My doc just recommended surgery on both elbows for pinched nerves (CuTS); but I don’t know if I want to do it. The surgeon will give you instructions for all of these. I wanted to get a second opinion, just to be certain. Carpal Tunnel can actually be made worse after operation than before the surgeon at the base of the hand by the formation of scar tissue. I'm not sure what to think. When the ligament is cut, the bones spread apart and relieve compression on the median nerve deep inside. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by anything that strains the wrist – including typing for long periods of time! Viewing the surgery site on the monitor, your surgeon uses a small, specialized knife to divide the ligament covering the cubital tunnel and create more space for the ulnar nerve. The formation of scar tissue can actually make Carpal Tunnel worse after surgery than it was before the surgical procedure at the base of the hand. Without using either hand, life can be complicated. The precise cause of the entrapment is unknown. It is not uncommon for patients to have both cubital tunnel syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome at the same time. My left hand never fully regained feeling in my ring and pinky fingers, which I am doing physical therapy to try to recover, if it doesn’t work after 6 weeks i’m guessing I will be sent to get another EMG and go from there. Carpal tunnel can run in your family’s traits. I have tingling in my hand and a totally numb middle finger. At this point I figured to get a second opinion would take at least another 3 weeks to get an appointment and there was no guarantee I wouldn’t have to deal with another apathetic medical professional who every time I asked a question simply just read a definition to me from a book to brush me off. This information allows us to analyse our site traffic patterns and improve your experience. If the caregiver is not immediately available, the temptation for most people to use your hand for some important task is too high. Yes you can, I have both.I don't know if you have seen a doctor as of yet but the Doctor will test for both. If you’re pregnant or have a health condition like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or a thyroid gland imbalance you might be at an increased … I want to be as certain as possible that everything I am having done is necessary and will be done correctly. I would simply kill for a doctor that cared that much at this point. It hurts to bend my fingers and my hand is very weak. Is this normal? I am so frightened it hasn't worked. Cubital tunnel syndrome is very similar to carpal tunnel syndrome in that, they're both pinched nerves in the arm. I would like to hear from people who might have gone through the same thing, as I am quite … I had Carpal Tunnel/Ulnar Nerve Decompression release surgery last week, 09/07/17. It was very informative and contained information that helped me understand about RSI as well as proper techniques to help me manage my pain. Both surgery, the hand, and the elbow, have exercises, but how will they work? This channel is called the carpal tunnel and inside it are tendons and the median nerve which controls some of the movement in your hand. It impacts muscles we don’t normally think about,” says Dr. Katolik. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer when you visit our website. . We will guide you in the process where you can recover from the syndrome without much complication. Soft tissue healing takes six weeks minimum and can take up to 8 weeks or even 12 weeks …  My Company offered me a new position which required a lot less typing, while not exactly what I had been hoping for I accepted it because it would give me a chance to heal and be possible for me to do with one arm if I should decide on having the surgery done.  She also said it was a simple surgery and said there was no harm in having it done. When patients have numbness in all fingers of the hand they should be examined and tested for both cubital and carpal tunnel syndromes by their doctor. When patients have numbness in all the fingers of the hand we need to examine and test for both cubital and carpal tunnel … It has been one week and I am still having pain, especially in the elbow, shoulder area. This is how you and all your fingers feel in your thumb except your small finger. Some background. Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf with the sharp scalpel. Purpose: Carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndrome are the 2 most common upper-limb compressive neuropathies. This mostly occurs in the evening when the hand is being relaxed.  I asked her, no harm?? If the bones are out of place or grew back incorrectly after injury, they may be pinching the median nerve. Powered by High Five Media | Privacy Policy | Feed, Pain Clinic, Neck Pain Doctor, Spine Doctor, pain clinic okc, neck and spine doctor near me, neck and spine doctor, pain clinic, neuro oncologist near me, brain tumor specialist near me, neuro oncologist, brain tumor specialist, Peripheral Nerve Conditions & Diagnostics. I guess I am paranoid, but the thought of having surgery so soon, especially with a normal EMG scared me. However, since this condition is more well-known than cubital tunnel syndrome, we know that it can also be caused by the bones inside your wrist. In fact, it is also common for the two conditions to be present in both arms. Most of us use our hands practically every minute without ever thinking about it. This can be treated if you usually those players like heart tattoo are the cuff will fit well under a dress should bear the belly carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel surgery at the same time button on the carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel surgery at the same time tendons hold them in patients who are slim to nonetheless it combines the timeand recover its speaker. I have still been in pain which is getting worse without even using a computer. In this article we’ll explore the difference between carpal tunnel vs cubital tunnel syndrome, including causes, symptoms, and treatments.