As I understand it, most CTS isn't actually CTS. It can actually be caused by tense muscles in the forearm or shoulders pinching or adhering to the median and ulna nerves that service the hand and fingers, or by a pinched nerve in the back. Real CTS is an inflammation of the carpal tunnel itself. Verify this when you have symptoms by poking in these areas until you find a painful spot. Many times I can cause CTS-like symptoms by poking in the same spot. You can also get CTS symptoms from chronic slouching (thoracic outlet syndrome).

When I find a spot like that, I put pressure on the knot with my left thumb, make a fist with my right hand, and rock the fist up and down. This causes the knot to try to slide under my thumb. Note: this is very painful. But if I do this long enough, the knot goes away and so do the symptoms.

Very few "CTS" problems should require surgery (the figure I've heard is 5%), *especially* when it's not actually CTS.

I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice. :-) But, it Works For Me (and others I've clued in).