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When Carpel Tunnel Syndrome Leads to an Iowa Workers’ Compensation Claim (Part B)

As carpel tunnel syndrome progresses, you may experience difficulty with your grip when performing manual tasks or when grasping small objects. It may even be difficult to make a fist. When carpel tunnel is left untreated and becomes chronic, the muscles located at the base of the thumb may deteriorate. This can affect an individual's ability to differentiate between hot and cold.

Treatment of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

Treatment of carpel tunnel will depend on the severity of the condition. Sometimes, all that is needed is making a few adjustments such as the height of a desk, varying the arm's position or taking frequent breaks.

Using a wrist splint may help as it keeps the wrist in a straight position, alleviating the constant movement. Sometimes, anti-inflammatory medication can help relieve the pain. Exercise that strengthens and stretches the tendons is another option and is available through physical therapy.

While it is always the last option, surgery may be required for severe cases of carpel tunnel. Generally, if symptoms last beyond 6 months after other treatment methods have failed, surgery may be the only option left.

The surgery requires cutting the band of tissue around the wrist in order to decrease the pressure on the median nerve. The most common types of carpel tunnel surgery include the traditional open release surgery, where an incision is made in the wrist in order to cut the tissue, and endoscopic surgery which is less painful and leaves less scarring. Luckily, the surgery doesn't require a hospital stay but recovery time will be needed to rest your wrist.

How a Des Moines Workers' Compensation Attorney Can Help

If you have suffered from carpel tunnel syndrome, you may be entitled to receive Iowa Workers' Compensation benefits to account for your medical bills and the time you'll miss from work. A Des Moines Workers' Compensation attorney can advocate that you receive the full amount of benefits to which you are entitled or assist you if your claim has been denied.

In addition, your Des Moines Workers' Compensation can guide you through a number of considerations, such as your rights to temporary or total disability benefits and whether the compensation offered is in line with the severity of your carpel tunnel syndrome.

Contacting a Des Moines Workers' Compensation Attorney

The Des Moines Workers' Compensation attorney team at Walker, Billingsley & Bair know the importance of protecting your work injury claim from the get-go. That's why we provide this FREE book; Iowa Workers' Compensation - An Insider's Guide to Work Injuries: 7 Deadly Mistakes To Avoid If You Are Hurt At Work. To learn more about what our legal team will do to help you protect your Iowa work injury claim, contact Walker, Billingsley & Bair to schedule a no-cost consultation - 1-888-792-3595.