Question 1

is it normal for my fingers to feel numb after carpal tunnel surgery?

Accepted Answer

Possibly: If numbness was constant rather than intermittent before surgery it may rake longer to fo away after, or may not go away. Surgery still kept it from getting worse. Constant preop numbness implies increased risk of postop permanent numbness.

Question 2

is it normal for my fingers to be numb and hot after carpal tunnel surgery?

Accepted Answer

These are signs : Of nerve inflammation which is common after this type of injury. It should resolve in a few days but may even take weeks. Talk to your surgeon.

Question 3

i had carpal tunnel surgery two months ago. my thumb, pointer and middle finger are numb. they were not before the surgery. normal?

Accepted Answer

May want to discuss: With your surgeon. The numbness should nothave gotten worse at two months and you may be having some scarring/adhesion issues or increased edema causing further compression on median nerve. While some of this can be expected post surgically,  it should be getting better. With cts surgery, though,  it's not uncommon to have a long healing process, even up to six months, that's if the surgery worked.

Question 4

i'm wondering why are my fingers feeling numb after carpal tunnel surgery?

Accepted Answer

It may be that: The amoujnt of nerve compression was evere and that it takes time for the nerve to feel better. It may be that the nerve was irritated by the surgical process and that the nerve  is a bit more sleepy. In severe cases often it takes longer ( far longer than it does for the incision to recover) to exhibit improvement and at times full improvement may not be possible. Talk to your surgeon about this.

Question 5

how long after carpal tunnel surgery will my fingers remind numb?

Accepted Answer

I : I always tell patients that the time to healing is variable in that no two patients are exactly the same. However typically you can go back to light activites within a few days to a few weeks and heavy activity in 4-6 weeks.  Of course this is job and activity dependent.  If you are a sedentary office worker its a lot different than a plumber or machinist. General health also affects return to function. If you have diabetes, are a smoker or have fibromyalgia or an inflammatory condition you may have an extended time period.

Healing means different things to people.  Some take it to imply return to activity others return of normal sensation.
I take time to clarify these two questions before surgery.

Will my sensation come back or be normal after surgery?

While the goal of carpal tunnel surgery is to relieve the pressure on the nerve not everyone will respond the same to surgery

some patients will have immediate return of sensation while some will take longer. Some will notice an improvement right away but still feel tingling and will describe this as "numb" the return of sensation is dependent on many factors including age, general health, duration of symptoms, circulation and the actual mechanical severity of compression.

In very severe cases while decompressing the nerve stops the carpal tunnel syndrome from getting worse, full recovery of sensation may not be possible.  Often this is seen in patients who have muscle wasting noted prior to surgery and in those with longstanding complete numbness and elevated two-point discrimination.  Of course there are many in these categories that improve despite having very severe cases. 

Having a severe case where you are not sure if you'd have full recovery is not a reason to put off surgery, as progression is likely if nothing is done.

How about my strength?

This is a very difficult question as there are many reasons why a hand with carpal tunnel may not feel as strong.  It may be that the decreased sensation in the fingers prevents someone from knowing how tight to hold and object and that object is dropped more easily.  With return of sensation or even a slight improvement in sensation, dropping objects becomes less of a problem.   Some severe cases of carpal tunnel can be associated with atrophy in the muscles of the hand.  In some severe cases, this muscle will never fully recover.  However despite loss of muscle, function can still be preserved.  In very severe cases a suregon may recommend a tendon or muscle transfer to improve function.

So the short answer is its variabole, the long answer above.  The best thing is to ask your surgeon what to expect.

This answer is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment.

Question 6

had carpal tunnel surgery  back in 2009 and my fingers and arm are still going numb and wake me up out of my sleep... what could this be?

Accepted Answer

See doctor: Your problem may be higher up in your cervical spine a bulging disk in your neck may be impinging on the nerves that innervate your wrist and hand. Consult your physician.

Question 7

is it normal for your index finger to swell and hurt 6 months after carpal tunnel surgery?

Accepted Answer

No: But may have nothing to do with it.

Question 8

6 weeks ago i had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands one severe one moderate. i am having extreme pain with 3 fingers on severe tingling and numbness in fingers painful in both hand is this normal after carpal tunnel surgery

Accepted Answer

I'm : I'm sure your surgeon is looking after you to be sure there are no problems, so i will just give you the good news that this is extremely common and part of the normal recovery process.  I hope you find the following perspectives helpful:

1. Think of when your leg goes to sleep.  When you get up and take the pressure of the nerve the "blood rushes back" and it feels worse for a bit.  That's what happens when you release severe carpal tunnel syndrome. Except that it can take weeks to months to resolve. Sounds like you are in the period.

2. I'm sure the severe side is not as satisfying as the moderate side.  Severe cts is associated with permanent nerve damage which you will experience as numbness, weakness or atrophy.  It can be very discouraging and even unsettling to find that you are still numb after surgery.  The good news that is entirely expected and consistent with successful surgery.  The bad news is that while that "blood rushing back" feeling will get better, the numbness is likely permanent. Nerves recovery slowly, so you won't know the final result for 2 years or so, but people with severe cts need to understand that they have permanent nerve damage. That unsettling feeling that comes with realizing the difference between the hands and "trip the alarm" and actually increase your experience of pain.

Question 9

i had carpal tunnel surgery 5 days ago. i still have intermittent pain and constant numbness of pointer and middle finger the numbness severe. normal?

Accepted Answer

Wait few days: Wait few more days , most likely due to edema around nerves may be the cause , will subside by the time you see your doctor for follow up, if does not , speak to your doctor.

Question 10

i had endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery a week ago.  the base of my hand still feels hard and a little numb, is this normal?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Swelling and stiffness us common after endoscopic carpal tunnel release and it can take a little time to resolve. Numbness can take quite a while to resolve, especially if the nerve damage was more severe before surgery. Sometimes, some of the numbness does not completely resolve, other times it can take 6-12 months to resolve.

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Doctor answers about:

Is it normal for my fingers to feel numb after carpal tunnel surgery

A member asked:

Is it normal for my fingers to feel numb after carpal tunnel surgery?

A member asked:

Is it normal for my fingers to be numb and hot after carpal tunnel surgery?

A member asked:

I had carpal tunnel surgery two months ago. my thumb, pointer and middle finger are numb. they were not before the surgery. normal?

A member asked:

I'm wondering why are my fingers feeling numb after carpal tunnel surgery?

A member asked:

How long after carpal tunnel surgery will my fingers remind numb?

A member asked:

Had carpal tunnel surgery back in 2009 and my fingers and arm are still going numb and wake me up out of my sleep... what could this be?

A member asked:

Is it normal for your index finger to swell and hurt 6 months after carpal tunnel surgery?

A member asked:

6 weeks ago i had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands one severe one moderate. i am having extreme pain with 3 fingers on severe tingling and numbness in fingers painful in both hand is this normal after carpal tunnel surgery

A member asked:

I had carpal tunnel surgery 5 days ago. i still have intermittent pain and constant numbness of pointer and middle finger the numbness severe. normal?

A member asked:

I had endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery a week ago. the base of my hand still feels hard and a little numb, is this normal?

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