Most people with carpal tunnel syndrome do what their doctors tell them to do, and most doctors tell them to have surgery. But now comes research from King Juan Carlos University in Alcorcon, Spain, suggesting that surgery may not be the best solution. HealthDay reports that the researchers followed 100 women who had carpal tunnel syndrome, half of whom were treated with physical therapy and half of whom underwent surgery. The therapy consisted of manual physical therapy to the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist and fingers, and the patients also did neck-stretching exercises on their own. After one month, the therapy group reported greater daily function and greater “pinch strength” between the thumb and forefinger compared to the surgery patients. After three, six and 12 months, however, improvements were basically the same for people in both groups. What about pain? That also was reduced equally in both groups.