'I can do anything': Carpal tunnel procedure helps patient return to her farm

_{Above: Patient Lois Leighton takes a photo in the greenhouse of her family farm.}

September 2026

For years, Lois Leighton struggled with carpal tunnel syndrome that made everyday tasks difficult. From knitting to caring for animals on her farm, the pain and numbness affected the activities she loved most.

When other treatments failed to provide lasting relief, she turned to a minimally invasive procedure at Providence.

Lois had tried cortisone injections, physical therapy and braces, but her symptoms persisted.

"I couldn't hold a book. I couldn't do my knitting. I couldn't milk the goat. There was a lot I couldn't do," Lois says.

Aaron Williams, D.O., a sports medicince clinician at Providence Medford Medical Center, recommended the Sonex procedure, an ultrasound-guided treatment that allows physicians to visualize important structures in the wrist and perform the release through a smaller incision.

Back to the life she loves

The procedure helped Lois return to life on her farm, from caring for animals to harvesting produce and spending time with family.

"I had such good luck with the first wrist; Dr. Williams did the other," she says.

Today, Lois is back to canning, tending her orchard and keeping up with her grandchildren. "It just makes me feel younger," she says.

Related

• Learn more about our services at Providence Medford Medical Center.
• See a story about a Providence Medford Medical Center cardiologist who helped give her patient a second chance at life.