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I recently received this diagnosis with the recommendation for surgery. i am in my late 70s. Although my case is described as mild, I am assured that it will get worse. Surgery is the only viable option. The success rate is fairly high - I am told.
Obviously, as a guitarist, I am concerned about how this will impact my ability to play - the CTS is on my right, picking hand.
Has anyone here had to deal with this and if so, how did it impact your playing? I have been playing for a very long time, so I guess it has finally caught up me. I'd appreciate any insights. Thanks.
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02-15-2026 08:29 AM
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Originally Posted by FredH
"Surgery is the only viable option."
Who told you that, a surgeon? I don't believe it's true - for a mild case of it anyway.
"I am assured that it will get worse."
It's a repetitive stress injury, it will only get worse if you continue to repeat the movement that is aggravating it. I'd get a second opinion, from a physical therapist or related medical professional without a surgical bias.
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I'm with Mick,get another opinion.I was told 17 years ago the arthritis was bad in my thumb,there was not much to be done and playing would be very painful.Here i am playing 17 years later and the pain is negligible.Doctors are not infallible.
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I had it years ago. I had to stop playing for about 6 months. It was confirmed with a test where they run an electric current through the nerve and measure the response.
I saw a doctor who had done a study on a vitamin, B6, iirc. It was in the Kaiser Patient Handbook. Mainstream stuff.
He prescribed it and my CTS was much better in a matter of weeks. I resumed playing and haven't stopped since.
But, later, additional research failed to replicate the finding. Kaiser took it out of the handbook. The treatment was debunked.
I was lucky enough to get it while it still worked <g>.
That last line is a joke, but the rest is true.
The point is, I recovered, for some reason, without surgery.
My wife had something similar while staying in Canada. The doctor put his stethoscope on her wrist and had her move her hand. He was listening for the rasp of the tendon within the sheath, if I understand it. When he heard it he knew exactly where to inject. I wonder if this sort of low-tech clinical acumen is still taught.
My suggestion to the OP is to get another opinion, or two, before letting anybody cut.
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I wore a brace for about 6 months and switched to playing in the classical position.
Fixed with no surgery.
Now when i start to feel it coming back, I put the brace on for a few days, and all is well.
That was about 20 years ago.
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I'm 70, just had surgery on my neck to eliminate losing the feeling in my left hand. It was a rough recovery for me, surgery is tough for older folks. But the feeling is back in my hand (left) and I'm playing so I am glad I did it. Before I took that step though I got multiple opinions, tried PT, injections, stretches, etc and it just kept getting worse. Start conservative if you can and if you don't get results do what ya gotta do. Hope it goes well for you!
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I had it bad in 2017. I was overdosing on Naproxen to do a gig. Early 2018 I was put on Methotrexate (a DMARD for rheumatoid arthritis which was diagnosed in the early 80s). The CT went away! I'm still taking the tablets.
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I always look up online user reviews of placebos before taking them. I look for at least a 55%-60% approval rating. Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar
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From what I've learned, plenty of musicians have gone through CTS surgery and returned to playing successfully, especially when the condition is addressed before significant nerve damage occurs.
My cousin went through this. What helped him was using Mediliskto research treatment options, recovery experiences, and questions to ask his surgeon. It gave him a better understanding of what to expect and helped ease some of the uncertainty.
Since your case is considered mild, it may be worth getting a second opinion and discussing all available options before making a decision. If surgery does end up being the best route, many players report that the temporary recovery period is worth it for the long-term preservation of hand function.
Wishing you the best, and I hope you'll keep us posted on how things go.Last edited by Eugle; 06-23-2026 at 03:49 AM.
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A friend of mine had carpal tunnel surgery and was back to playing within a few months. Recovery took some patience, but the long-term result was much better than living with worsening symptoms.
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First thing you should do, if not already, is buy a pair of wrist braces with hard spoons inside and wear them when you sleep. Trial and error will be just the right tightness to use...too tight and they will hurt, too loose and your wrists will flop down. You want to keep your wrists straight as much as possible. This goes for playing too. Keep your fretting hand wrist straight, if you gave to bend it for a certain chord get it back to straight when you can. Often keeping your thumb pointed towards the headstock makes this easier to do, as opposed to the thumb pointing up at the ceiling.
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My understanding is if you have CTS or a tendency toward getting it you are not necessarily going to get better, but surgery is last option. I also know that if you don't have the tendency to get it than even when you do the wrong things it will not start appearing. I have no experience with it except I have to admit I do what I want with my hand and probably do things that people with CTS would find nuts and inflame there CTS.
In your case you need a complete 2nd opinion by someone else and if mild see have rehab can do. Surgery may work but it has lasting benefits but could have negative benefits as well.
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