Posted on 16th Nov 2011 @ 4:27 PM

How much does carpal tunnel syndrome cost the average sufferer? Would you believe $30,000 over the course of a lifetime, including both medical bills and time lost at work? Costs vary for each individual based on the severity of their problem and the treatment approach they choose, but here are some of the costs a sufferer might incur.

Surgery - Up to $20,000

No one wants surgery, and most of us do everything we can to avoid it. But if you wind up with the worst case scenario of carpal tunnel syndrome treatment, be prepared to pay: Either you or your insurance company will shell out between $5000 and $10,000 per wrist, including post-surgery rehabilitation.

Lost Work - $1270 per year

The median income in the United States in 2010 was $46,326. Half of carpal tunnel sufferers who missed work missed 10 days or more. Move those numbers around a bit, and you get a cost of $1270 per year, per worker. 

Braces and Wraps and Splints, Oh My - Up to $544

Now, don't misunderstand us: We do not recommend that you spend $544 on a wrist splint. All we're saying is that if you wanted to, you could totally do so on Amazon right now. For this, you apparently get a built-in proprietary computer calibrated spring mechanism, a 30-day money back guarantee, and a 97 percent success rate. However, since there are no reviews, we can't say one way or the other how effective this brace actually is. It might be great: All we're saying is, there are other braces on there for $6.97. We'd probably try those first.

As a final note, we would be remiss if we didn't point out that prevention is always cheaper than a cure. Preventative equipment like keyboard trays, specialized computer mice, and yes, ergonomic chairs, cost only a fraction of surgery and treatment and save big in pain and suffering.