Question: OK. My question if for a hand doctor or possibly a plastic surgeon. I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, confirmed by EMG. The syndrome in my right hand became advanced enough that I developed muscle wasting to the hand. I'd been ignoring the iconic CTS paresthesias to my thumb, index and middle finger tips because I also have MS and have had paresthesias that come and go, or come and stay, for years. It took me months to realize that these paresthesias were different from MS ones. Enough on that! I'm to see the surgeon (today!) who did my right hand surgery and I think he might be keen on doing surgery on my left hand. But MDs here are very secretive and I fear that he won't loosen up and have a straightforward discussion about the prognosis for my left hand. The EMG result was that my sensations in that (left) hand were being affected -- the paresthesias to my left hand are mild and infrequent -- but the EMG saw no effect yet to my left hand muscles. Can I rather expect that the CTS to my left hand will progress and so have surgery now and get it over with? Thanx. Lorraine R.

Thank your for the reply. I had my appointment with the cosmetic surgeon today and he didn't recommend surgery to my left hand but said that if my paresthesias get worse of if I feel muscle weakness, I should get in touch with him right away.

Of course I don't know, am not a mind-reader, but perhaps he was giving me a bit of breathing room before the inevitable surgery. I suspect I'll be having that surgery rather soon. You told me what I really needed to know, that CTS is progressive, and I thank you for that. That is critical information that I'd been unable to find.

I appreciate your reply very much. I'm certainly not going to wait for muscle weakness before I contact the surgeon again but might give myself a month or two before I contact him with complaints about the inevitable paresthesias. If you see anything wrong with my plan, please let me know.