CTS can range from an inconvenience to a source of intense pain. A range of treatments are available and the treatment you may receive to deal with your CTS will depend in its severity and how long you have had it.
It is not likely to be necessary for you to have surgery immediately. Your treatment will begin with your GP, and then a referral to the musculo-skeletal physiotherapy service. Treatment may start with wrist splints to help keep your wrist in a neutral position. This prevents your wrist from bending and thus avoiding putting additional pressure on your median nerve.
An improvement in symptoms may be noticed within four weeks.
Your doctor may also suggest corticosteroid injections, especially if wrist splints have not worked for you. Steroids are natural hormones produced in the body that can help reduce inflammation. Corticosteroids can be taken in tablet form, although for CTS they are usually injected straight into the wrist. One injection is given to see if this is the right therapy for you. If one injection has proved effective but the condition returns (which it sometimes does) this form of treatment may be repeated after a period of time.