62 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were randomized to receive either an 8-week conservative intervention consisting of full-time splint wearing and an educational component, or a control group (no intervention) to determine the effects of this intervention on symptom alleviation. Results indicated that the treatment group displayed significantly better pain scores, function scores, grip strength scores, and dexterity compared to the control group. Sixty-three percent of patients in this group also decided they were not going to seek surgical intervention. Following regression analysis, it was found that symptom severity, functional status, pain levels, and duration of symptoms were positively correlated with the desire to seek surgical treatment.