surgerytoday-blog

[surgerytoday-blog]

What does carpal tunnel treatment cost?

[surgerytoday-blog]

What does carpal tunnel treatment cost?

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, no doubt you want to know what carpal tunnel treatment costs you face. But first, listen to the experts. In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) have good news. Over 90% of people who have carpal tunnel syndrome do not need surgery. They are able to cure symptoms with one (or a combination) of several non-surgical treatment options. Talk with your doctor about the non-surgical options that are best for you.

Treatment options

The NIH and AAOS say there are two ways to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. The first way is to use non-surgical treatments. These include:

Bracing

Myofascial massage

Cortisone injections

The second way is to treat is with carpal tunnel release surgery. There are two basic types of carpal tunnel surgeries. They are:

Endoscopic surgery

Open release surgery

The AAOS recommends everybody with carpal tunnel use non-surgical remedies first. That’s because they are effective over 90% of the time. However, if you try them and they’re unsuccessful after 6 months, the AAOS says you should explore surgical options. Of course, the costs of non-surgical versus surgical treatment options vary a lot.

Note about the overview below: First, it lists the costs without health insurance. Second, it represents the costs of treating one hand, not two (except for myofascial massage by “automated device”, below). Finally, it assumes the treatment is successful. If you have complications or a failed surgery, the costs obviously increase dramatically. This is an important consideration due to the relatively high failure rate of carpal tunnel surgery.

Non-surgical carpal tunnel treatment costs

Relative to surgery, the carpal tunnel treatment cost of non-surgical therapies varies just a little bit.

Seeing a doctor for a diagnosis: $120 - $190

Having EMG to confirm carpal tunnel: $310 - $360

An authentic carpal tunnel night brace: $40 - $80

Single cortisone injection: $100 - $300

*Myofascial release massage: $25-$40 per 20 minute session or $240 using an automated device

*Note that myofascial release massage treatment is not a one-time application. In fact, most patients require daily treatment for at least 30 days to eliminate symptoms completely.

Surgical carpal tunnel treatment costs

Surgery represents the most varied carpal tunnel treatment costs. The cost for the actual surgical procedure is $2,445 - $5,354. These figures depend on two major factors. First, it depends on which of the two surgical procedures you have (open release surgery is generally less expensive than endoscopic surgery). Also, it depends on having the surgery in a hospital or outpatient surgical center. Generally, the hospital fees are much higher.

The average costs during the carpal tunnel surgery recovery time vary the most. This time period represents the fees for hand physical therapy and rehabilitation. The rehab period can last for months up to a year, and cost upwards of $29,000.

Much of the rehab costs (and time) depend on several factors, which vary greatly from person to person. These include:

Type of surgery used (open release takes more healing time than endoscopic).

If there were surgical complications.

Patient’s overall health (e.g., smokers take longer to heal).

The patient’s dedication to therapy.

Patient’s normal speed of healing.

Any discounts to offset carpal tunnel treatment costs?

With non-surgical treatment products, there are usually discounts via coupon codes and special offers. The costs are relatively low to begin with, so don’t expect too much savings. On the other hand, physical and massage therapists will almost always offer substantial discounts with multiple, repeat visits. In fact, the discounts can be quite substantial. 

The picture is much different with the surgical options. Carpal tunnel surgery is BIG business. And it’s so competitive that there are BIG discounts to be had at every turn. Talk with your surgeon. Most will discount their fees if you’re not insured. Usually, they also arrange discounts for cash or up-front payments. 

The same goes for the hospital or surgical center. Speak with them about their uninsured rates. Finally, most physical therapy and rehabilitation centers offer various kinds of discounts. They differ according to the complexity and length of time your rehab requires.