Taimse

To the 20 year old and 25 year old......
If you are really looking at surgery as being the fix you want, then really search out a good surgeon...hand, orthopedic, neurologist. Get second opinions. Your hand are going to have to last you a lifetime.
As far as healing, your ages are in your favor.

I first experienced carpal tunnel when I was 19...I was doing chicken deboning in a chicken canning factory. The table was high or I was too short. Symptoms were eased by me standing on a stool, so my hands were at a lower level to work, than they had been. After that, my hands would fall asleep every so often throughout the rest of college and when I had my first jobs. I could shake my hands and the feeling would return.

Any accidents involving neck injuries such as whiplash. Sometimes that will cause tingling and numbness in hands too.

Please read information at websites in the archives on the Carpal tunnel syndrome forum page. They are at the top of the page that shows the ct discussion topics/questions. Perhaps that will help, or at least give you ideas of what to ask for questions when seeing doctors.