I May Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, What Specialty Doctor Should I Consult With?
I did the Phalen’s Test (you should try it as well, it’s just a 60 second test) and I think I have Carpal Tunnel.
I have to schedule an appointment to a specific doctor to avail my HMO (not US), I just don’t know which specialty? (e.g. occupational therapy, physical therapy, gynecologist, pediatrician, etc.)
You need to see an orthopedist. Call you insurance to see if you need a referral, because if not you’re just throwing money away going to your GP for them to tell you, “Yup, you need to see an orthopedist.”
Note: my experience is limited to the US medical system, so things may be different where you are. However, I definitely agree with getting wrist braces first while waiting for your appointment. Schedule an appointment with a primary care provider who can evaluate you and recommend either medications or refer you to a specialist. Often times carpal tunnel can be managed with over the counter medications, wrist braces, and avoiding the repetitive movements that exacerbate it (usually typing in today’s world). If not, then the specialist of choice is often an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in wrist and hand surgery, though there are also plastic surgeons that specialize in hand surgery as well.
Source: I am a US physician
This is really good advice for anywhere and 99% of medical problems. Especially for carpal tunnel, where surgical options are last resort, because the success criteria is closer to “I can feed myself with a fork” than “I can do anything I want with my hands again.”
I think that’d be a orthopedic physician. If you have insurance then you may need to see your primary care physician first and get a referral so they’ll cover it.
I would also suggest your primary care physician first. They can direct you to the next step and give you any referral you might need to get there. Orthopedics is probably the next step, but possibly physical/occupational therapy, or a neurologist (to determine the extent of nerve damage, probably?)
I went through the process (in the US) for a repetitive stress injury that acted a lot like carpal tunnel issues. You might be able to just talk to your PCP (via messaging, email, tele-health appointment, etc) and get a referral to orthopedics; depending on your healthcare system / insurance situation, maybe you don’t need a referral.
IANAD/YMMV
How long have you had the issue? Sometimes people have symptoms but the cause is more than just that area and can be impingement higher up from poor posture, or from repetitive stress, etc. With my insurance it would be cheaper to see my primary, get a referral for PT, and try that for a few weeks before going to an Ortho. Also, remember that surgeons do surgery - it’s how they pay their mortgage.
You should pick up some carpal tunnel wrist braces while you wait to see a doctor. They immobilize your wrists while you sleep and prevent any more damage to the nerves. If you ever wake up with numb fingers that’s most likely what’s happening.
I would check with your family doctor first and they should be able to give you a list of recommended specialists to contact.
I just had this surgery a couple months ago. On my doctor’s website, their title is “orthopedic hand surgeon”. Good luck!
Don’t know the answer to your question. Just wanted to thank you for sharing that video!
I had really bad carpal tunnel in both wrists. The first stop was my GP who gave me a referral to a neurologist. They check your sensory response in your fingers and there is a rating system for how well sensation is received by your brain. Once they establish sensation is below a certain threshold they’ll refer you to the appropriate professional. For some, this means physio, stretching exercises, wrist braces, etc. if it’s bad enough, you’ll be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. My recovery was relatively easy after my surgery. I couldn’t do anything complicated with my hands for a few weeks but I was back at work the next day since I just use a computer - I just finger pecked for a few days. Pro tip- get a bidet fixture for your toilet that activates with a button turn or press instead of a trigger handle. I did both hands at once and just got it over with. No regrets.
