Dr. Samhitha Reddy
Consultant Proctologist & Laparoscopic Surgeon
MBBS, MS, FMAS, FISCP, DMAS
- 8 Yrs
- ASCRS Member
Orthopaedics · Hand & Wrist
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment in Hyderabad: Expert Care at Lux Hospitals
Carpal tunnel syndrome is compression of the median nerve at the wrist. Its signature is waking at night with numb, tingling fingers and having to shake the hand to restore feeling.
Caught early it often settles with a splint and an injection. Left long enough it causes permanent nerve damage and muscle wasting that surgery cannot fully reverse. Our orthopaedic surgeons at Lux Hospitals, HITEC CITY treat it at whichever stage you present.
- Non-Surgical Options First
- Day-Care Release Surgery
- Rapid Symptom Relief
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage on the palm side of the wrist, bounded by the wrist bones and roofed by a tough band of tissue called the transverse carpal ligament. Nine tendons and the median nerve pass through it. There is no spare room.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when pressure inside that tunnel rises and compresses the median nerve. Because the tunnel cannot expand, anything that swells its contents (inflamed tendon sheaths, fluid retention, arthritis) squeezes the nerve.
The median nerve supplies sensation to the thumb, index, middle and half the ring finger, and powers the muscles at the base of the thumb. That distribution explains the symptoms precisely, and it is why numbness affecting the little finger points away from this diagnosis rather than toward it.
Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Anything that raises pressure within the fixed space of the carpal tunnel compresses the nerve.
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Repetitive wrist movement
Typing, assembly line work, playing an instrument or prolonged tool use: activities that inflame the tendon sheaths within the tunnel.
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Pregnancy
Hormonal fluid retention raises pressure in the tunnel. It is common in the third trimester and usually resolves after delivery.
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Diabetes
Both raises the risk and makes the nerve more vulnerable to compression, and it is a common association.
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Rheumatoid and inflammatory arthritis
Inflamed synovium around the tendons swells within the tunnel and compresses the nerve directly.
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Hypothyroidism
Causes tissue swelling that raises pressure in the tunnel, and is worth testing for since treating it can resolve the symptoms.
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Previous wrist injury
A fracture or dislocation that healed with altered anatomy can narrow the tunnel permanently.
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A congenitally narrow tunnel
Some people are simply born with less room, which is why carpal tunnel syndrome runs in families.
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Obesity and fluid retention
Excess weight and conditions causing fluid retention both raise pressure within the tunnel.
Thyroid function and blood sugar are worth checking in anyone presenting with carpal tunnel syndrome. Both are treatable causes, and correcting them sometimes resolves the symptoms entirely.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Night symptoms are the hallmark. Almost everyone with carpal tunnel syndrome describes waking with a numb hand and shaking it to bring the feeling back.
Typical symptoms
- Numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers
- Waking at night needing to shake the hand to relieve it
- Pain in the wrist, sometimes radiating up the forearm
- Symptoms provoked by driving, reading or holding a phone
- Clumsiness and dropping small objects
- A sense of swelling in the fingers even when they look normal
Signs of advanced compression
- Constant numbness that no longer comes and goes
- Wasting of the muscle bulk at the base of the thumb
- Marked loss of grip and pinch strength
- Inability to distinguish textures or fasten buttons
- Loss of the night symptoms, replaced by permanent numbness
- Difficulty with fine tasks such as picking up coins
Paradoxically, the night waking stopping is a bad sign rather than a good one when it is replaced by constant numbness: it means the nerve has been compressed long enough to stop signalling intermittently.
How Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is Diagnosed
The history is often diagnostic on its own. Examination and nerve conduction studies confirm it and grade the severity.
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History
Night waking with numbness in the median nerve distribution, relieved by shaking the hand, is close to diagnostic on its own.
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Phalen’s and Tinel’s tests
Bending the wrist forward, or tapping over the nerve, reproduces the tingling. Simple bedside tests that support the diagnosis.
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Sensory and motor examination
Testing sensation in each finger and assessing the thumb muscles for wasting and weakness, which indicates advanced compression.
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Nerve conduction studies
The objective test. It confirms median nerve compression at the wrist, grades severity, and excludes nerve problems higher up.
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Ultrasound
Shows swelling of the nerve at the tunnel entrance and can identify a mass or inflamed synovium causing the compression.
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Blood tests
Thyroid function, blood sugar and inflammatory markers, since hypothyroidism, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis are all treatable contributors.
Numbness in the little finger or symptoms extending above the elbow suggest the problem is at the elbow or neck rather than the wrist. Nerve conduction studies distinguish these clearly.
Treatment Options
Mild and moderate cases often respond well to non-surgical treatment. Surgery is highly effective and is indicated where the nerve is at risk.
Non-surgical
Non-surgical treatment
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Night wrist splinting
A splint holding the wrist neutral overnight. Simple, inexpensive and genuinely effective: many mild cases resolve on this alone.
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Activity modification
Adjusting workstation ergonomics, taking breaks from repetitive tasks and avoiding sustained wrist flexion.
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Corticosteroid injection
Injected into the carpal tunnel, giving relief for months in most patients. It also confirms the diagnosis when the response is good.
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Treating the underlying cause
Correcting hypothyroidism, controlling diabetes or treating rheumatoid arthritis can resolve the symptoms without any local treatment.
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Physiotherapy and nerve gliding
Specific exercises that mobilise the nerve within the tunnel, useful alongside splinting in milder cases.
Surgical
Carpal tunnel release
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Open carpal tunnel release
The transverse carpal ligament is divided through a small incision in the palm, decompressing the nerve. Highly effective, done under local anaesthetic.
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Endoscopic carpal tunnel release
The same ligament divided through one or two small incisions using a camera. Slightly faster return to work, with equivalent long-term results.
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Release with synovectomy
Removing inflamed tendon sheath at the same time, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or marked synovitis.
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Revision release
For persistent or recurrent symptoms, usually because of incomplete division of the ligament at the first operation.
Surgery is recommended where there is constant numbness, thumb muscle wasting, or nerve conduction studies showing severe compression. At that stage, delay risks permanent nerve damage.
What Carpal Tunnel Release Involves
A fifteen to twenty minute day-case procedure, usually under local anaesthetic. You walk in, walk out, and go home within the hour.
Carpal tunnel release
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Pre-operative assessment
Nerve conduction studies reviewed, blood sugar and thyroid checked, and any blood thinners discussed.
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Local anaesthetic
Anaesthetic injected into the palm and wrist. A brief sting, after which the area is completely numb. General anaesthesia is rarely needed.
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The incision
A small incision of two to three centimetres in the palm, placed along the natural crease line where the scar settles best.
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Identifying the ligament
The transverse carpal ligament is exposed, with the median nerve and its motor branch identified and protected.
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Dividing the ligament
The ligament is divided completely along its length, releasing the pressure. Incomplete division is the main reason symptoms persist.
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Checking the nerve
The nerve is inspected to confirm it is fully decompressed and that there is no other cause of compression within the tunnel.
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Closure and dressing
Skin closed with fine sutures and a light dressing applied. Fingers are moved immediately to prevent stiffness.
The ligament is deliberately not repaired. Leaving it divided is what keeps the tunnel decompressed, and the hand functions perfectly well without it.
Why Choose Lux Hospitals for Carpal Tunnel Treatment?
This is a common condition where the timing of treatment determines how complete the recovery is. Here is why patients trust us:
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Experienced hand surgeons
Orthopaedic surgeons performing carpal tunnel release regularly, with open and endoscopic techniques available.
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Proper diagnosis first
Nerve conduction studies and blood tests, so treatable causes such as thyroid disease are found rather than missed.
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Comprehensive care
From the first consultation through to post-treatment follow-up, with one team throughout.
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Convenient location
Our hospital is in HITEC CITY, near IKEA: easily reachable from across Hyderabad.
Recovery & Aftercare
Night symptoms usually resolve almost immediately after surgery. Grip strength takes rather longer to return.
- Days 0–2
Home within the hour. The night tingling typically stops from the first night. Finger movement encouraged straight away.
- Days 3–14
Light use of the hand for everyday tasks. Keep the wound dry. Sutures removed at around ten to fourteen days.
- Weeks 2–6
Return to desk work from around two weeks, manual work from four to six. Scar tenderness in the palm is normal at this stage.
- Weeks 6–12
Grip strength returns progressively. Pillar pain, tenderness either side of the scar, settles over this period.
- Months 3–12
Full grip strength restored. Where the nerve was severely compressed, sensation may continue improving slowly for up to a year.
Aftercare
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Move the fingers immediately
Full finger movement from day one prevents stiffness and tendon adhesions. The hand should be used, not rested.
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Keep the wound dry
Keep the dressing dry until the sutures come out. Palm wounds are prone to infection if kept damp.
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Avoid heavy gripping early
No heavy lifting or forceful gripping for four to six weeks, giving the divided ligament ends time to settle.
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Massage the scar
Once healed, regular scar massage reduces tenderness and pillar pain, which is the commonest lingering complaint.
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When to call us
Fever, spreading redness, wound discharge, worsening numbness, or severe pain out of proportion to the surgery.
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Address the underlying cause
Control diabetes, correct thyroid function and adjust workstation ergonomics, which reduces the chance of trouble in the other hand.
Where the nerve was compressed for a long time before surgery, numbness and thumb weakness may not fully recover. The night symptoms nearly always resolve: permanent damage is what surgery cannot undo, which is the argument for treating earlier.
When Should You See a Specialist?
Book a consultation if any of the following apply.
- Waking at night with numb or tingling fingers.
- Numbness in the thumb, index and middle fingers.
- Dropping objects or losing grip strength.
- Constant rather than intermittent numbness: seek help promptly.
- Visible wasting of the muscle at the base of the thumb.
- Symptoms not improving with a night splint after six weeks.
Cost of Carpal Tunnel Treatment in Hyderabad
Non-surgical treatment is inexpensive. Release surgery is a short day-case procedure, and these are the ranges.
| Procedure | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Consultation & assessment Per visit | ₹800 – ₹1,500 |
| Nerve conduction studies Confirms and grades the compression | ₹3,000 – ₹7,000 |
| Wrist splint Night splinting, often effective alone | ₹800 – ₹2,500 |
| Corticosteroid injection Relief typically lasting months | ₹3,000 – ₹7,000 |
| Open carpal tunnel release Day care under local anaesthetic | ₹35,000 – ₹65,000 |
| Endoscopic carpal tunnel release Day care, quicker return to work | ₹50,000 – ₹90,000 |
| Bilateral release Both hands, usually staged | ₹60,000 – ₹1,10,000 |
What changes the estimate
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Open or endoscopic
Endoscopic release costs more because of the instrumentation, and offers a slightly quicker return to work with the same long-term result.
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One hand or both
Bilateral disease is common. The two sides are usually staged a few weeks apart so one hand always works.
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Investigation needed
Nerve conduction studies are standard before surgery. Blood tests for thyroid and diabetes are added routinely.
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Room category
A shared ward, a twin-sharing room or a private suite: the largest single swing in most estimates.
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Insurance & TPA cover
We are empanelled with most major insurers, and our team files the pre-authorisation for you.
Every figure above is an indicative range, not a quote. After your consultation you are given a written, fixed-cost estimate, and that is the number you pay, with no additions once treatment begins.
Other Orthopaedics Treatments
Our Surgeons
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Specialists at Lux Hospitals
The orthopaedic and hand surgeons who treat carpal tunnel syndrome at our HITEC CITY hospital.
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Dr. Sai Kishan Sirasala
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon: Joint Replacement & Arthroscopy
MS (Ortho), FIJR, FIASM (UK), FIKS (Italy), FIRJR
8 years experience
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Dr. Bathini Hithesh
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
MBBS, MS, FIJR
6 years experience
Testimonials
What Patients Say About Their Treatment
Reviews from patients treated for hand, shoulder and orthopaedic conditions at Lux Hospitals, Hyderabad.
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Got Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about carpal tunnel syndrome, its treatment, and what surgery costs at Lux Hospitals.
What are the early symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?
Numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers, characteristically waking you at night and relieved by shaking the hand. Symptoms are often provoked by driving, reading or holding a phone. Pain in the wrist and forearm and a sense of finger swelling are also common.
What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?
Anything that raises pressure in the fixed space of the carpal tunnel: repetitive wrist movement, pregnancy-related fluid retention, diabetes, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, previous wrist injury, or simply being born with a narrow tunnel.
Can carpal tunnel syndrome go away on its own?
Mild cases can settle, particularly pregnancy-related carpal tunnel syndrome, which usually resolves after delivery. Night splinting alone resolves many early cases. However, established compression with constant numbness does not resolve without treatment and risks permanent nerve damage.
Is carpal tunnel surgery safe?
Yes, it is one of the safest and most reliably effective operations in orthopaedics. It is done under local anaesthetic as a day case in fifteen to twenty minutes. Risks include infection, scar tenderness and, rarely, nerve injury: all uncommon.
How long does recovery take after carpal tunnel surgery?
Night symptoms usually stop from the first night. Sutures come out at ten to fourteen days, desk work resumes at around two weeks and manual work at four to six. Grip strength and scar tenderness take three months to fully settle.
How is carpal tunnel syndrome managed during pregnancy?
Conservatively, since it usually resolves after delivery. Night wrist splinting is the mainstay and is safe throughout pregnancy. A corticosteroid injection can be used if symptoms are severe. Surgery is rarely needed and is generally deferred until after the baby is born.
Will surgery restore full sensation?
It depends on how long the nerve was compressed. Night symptoms resolve almost universally. Where compression was severe and long-standing, with constant numbness and thumb muscle wasting, recovery may be partial: the nerve regenerates slowly and sometimes incompletely. This is the argument for treating earlier.
What is the cost of carpal tunnel treatment at Lux Hospitals?
A splint is ₹800–₹2,500 and a steroid injection ₹3,000–₹7,000. Open carpal tunnel release ranges from ₹35,000 to ₹65,000 as a day case under local anaesthetic, and endoscopic release from ₹50,000 to ₹90,000. Nerve conduction studies are ₹3,000–₹7,000.
How can I book an appointment for carpal tunnel treatment at Lux Hospitals?
You can book an appointment by calling us, messaging us on WhatsApp, or walking into Lux Hospitals, HITEC CITY. Bring any previous nerve conduction study reports with you.
Still have questions? Call us at 079 6908 4422
Still have questions? Message us on WhatsApp at 079 6908 4444
Book Your Hand Consultation in Hyderabad
Proper diagnosis and treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome before the nerve damage becomes permanent, with costs shared upfront.
Plot No.116, Lumbini Avenue, HITEC CITY, Near IKEA, Hyderabad – 500032