Discussion
Evening Chums, anyone had steroid injections for carpal tunnel?
Long story short I`ve been getting really bad pins and needles in both hands if any force is exerted onto them. This has been going on for about 6 months and slowly getting worse, so duly popped along to the quack.
Diagnosis = Carpal Tunnel, sent along to our local specialist (happens to be a very posh private hospital who do work under licence for the NHS as they`re a carpal tunnel specialist centre).
Anyhoo went for consultation yesterday lunchtime and the chap said steroid injections first then possibly surgery if it doesn`t work.
He proceeded to hammer 2 of the biggest b
d needles into the inner side of my wrists and injected steroid. Short of stamping on my own bks, I can imagine no worse pain 
Experienced a dull ache in both wrists all afternoon, but slowly eased off as the day elapsed. In the evening I took a call and oddly for me used my left hand. About 5 minutes into the conversation I got excruciating pins and needles in my left hand followed by unimaginable pain!
Was up most of the night in agony but has slowly subsided to dull ache again throughout today. Right wrist seems ok, a little sore, but nothing like the left.
So my question is, "is this normal"? Should I be worried? Stroppy was all ready to run me down A&E at 4am this morning, but I`m fairly sure it`ll just die off.
Obviously before ringing NHS direct or popping down the hospital I though I should run it past the PH Massive first
Help!!
Long story short I`ve been getting really bad pins and needles in both hands if any force is exerted onto them. This has been going on for about 6 months and slowly getting worse, so duly popped along to the quack.
Diagnosis = Carpal Tunnel, sent along to our local specialist (happens to be a very posh private hospital who do work under licence for the NHS as they`re a carpal tunnel specialist centre).
Anyhoo went for consultation yesterday lunchtime and the chap said steroid injections first then possibly surgery if it doesn`t work.
He proceeded to hammer 2 of the biggest b
d needles into the inner side of my wrists and injected steroid. Short of stamping on my own bks, I can imagine no worse pain Experienced a dull ache in both wrists all afternoon, but slowly eased off as the day elapsed. In the evening I took a call and oddly for me used my left hand. About 5 minutes into the conversation I got excruciating pins and needles in my left hand followed by unimaginable pain!
Was up most of the night in agony but has slowly subsided to dull ache again throughout today. Right wrist seems ok, a little sore, but nothing like the left.
So my question is, "is this normal"? Should I be worried? Stroppy was all ready to run me down A&E at 4am this morning, but I`m fairly sure it`ll just die off.
Obviously before ringing NHS direct or popping down the hospital I though I should run it past the PH Massive first
Help!!
keep your wrists straight and take some simple painkillers if you have them
dont go to A&E for this you will end up waiting for ages just to be sent home with analgesia! you most certainly will not be admitted tonight to an orthopaedic ward unless you have joint swelling and marked redness around the affect wrist??
dont go to A&E for this you will end up waiting for ages just to be sent home with analgesia! you most certainly will not be admitted tonight to an orthopaedic ward unless you have joint swelling and marked redness around the affect wrist??
Had the same problem.
Steroid injections can be effective but the Doc treating me in hospital proudly proclaimed that half his patients passed out during injections like this.
I can understand why.
This is essentially a chronic condition. If you can manage the injections they may (or not) do the job. But I think injections are far less problematic.
I also have dupuytrens contracture which causes the little finger to contract. I have injections for this too. They hurt just as much.
I try to avoid surgery because the cure may not happen, the pain and recovery will. Steroid injections are the best of a bad job. I have several friends with Carpel tunnel problems all avoiding surgery.
The real cure is do not have the illness. There is no 100% cure.
Not a lot of help but surgery is definitely a last resort.
Steroid injections can be effective but the Doc treating me in hospital proudly proclaimed that half his patients passed out during injections like this.
I can understand why.
This is essentially a chronic condition. If you can manage the injections they may (or not) do the job. But I think injections are far less problematic.
I also have dupuytrens contracture which causes the little finger to contract. I have injections for this too. They hurt just as much.
I try to avoid surgery because the cure may not happen, the pain and recovery will. Steroid injections are the best of a bad job. I have several friends with Carpel tunnel problems all avoiding surgery.
The real cure is do not have the illness. There is no 100% cure.
Not a lot of help but surgery is definitely a last resort.
I had a steroid injection to resolve a "trigger finger" problem, and apart from initial pain, and a dull ache afterwards for a while, there was no further pain issues.
In your situation, I would call NHS Direct. Might be worth trying to keep your wrist immoveble ovrnight, as that may helkp (using some kind of support ore splint)
Three years ago, I had Carpal Tunnel in both hands. Luckily for me, my consultant on referral was the chap who is used by Royalty for operations on arms and hands.
He told me that steroid injections were unlikely to give any long term resolution to the problem,and recommended surgery.
He carried out a keyhole procedure on both hands, I was in and out of hospital in under two hours on the day, and that included all paperwork and discharge procedures.
Recovery time was two to three weeks, and I have never looked back.
In your situation, I would call NHS Direct. Might be worth trying to keep your wrist immoveble ovrnight, as that may helkp (using some kind of support ore splint)
Three years ago, I had Carpal Tunnel in both hands. Luckily for me, my consultant on referral was the chap who is used by Royalty for operations on arms and hands.
He told me that steroid injections were unlikely to give any long term resolution to the problem,and recommended surgery.
He carried out a keyhole procedure on both hands, I was in and out of hospital in under two hours on the day, and that included all paperwork and discharge procedures.
Recovery time was two to three weeks, and I have never looked back.
Many thanks for all your help, this has certainly shed a bit more light on things!!
Can you have multiple injections then?
Steffan said:
Had the same problem.
Steroid injections can be effective but the Doc treating me in hospital proudly proclaimed that half his patients passed out during injections like this.
I can understand why.
This is essentially a chronic condition. If you can manage the injections they may (or not) do the job. But I think injections are far less problematic.
I also have dupuytrens contracture which causes the little finger to contract. I have injections for this too. They hurt just as much.
I try to avoid surgery because the cure may not happen, the pain and recovery will. Steroid injections are the best of a bad job. I have several friends with Carpel tunnel problems all avoiding surgery.
The real cure is do not have the illness. There is no 100% cure.
Not a lot of help but surgery is definitely a last resort.
Have you had more than one injection then? The specialist I saw said to see how the injections went for 4 months and then if no better, it`s surgery time Steroid injections can be effective but the Doc treating me in hospital proudly proclaimed that half his patients passed out during injections like this.
I can understand why.
This is essentially a chronic condition. If you can manage the injections they may (or not) do the job. But I think injections are far less problematic.
I also have dupuytrens contracture which causes the little finger to contract. I have injections for this too. They hurt just as much.
I try to avoid surgery because the cure may not happen, the pain and recovery will. Steroid injections are the best of a bad job. I have several friends with Carpel tunnel problems all avoiding surgery.
The real cure is do not have the illness. There is no 100% cure.
Not a lot of help but surgery is definitely a last resort.
Can you have multiple injections then?[quote=Meeja]I had a steroid injection to resolve a "trigger finger" problem, and apart from initial pain, and a dull ache afterwards for a while, there was no further pain issues.
In your situation, I would call NHS Direct. Might be worth trying to keep your wrist immoveble overnight, as that may help (using some kind of support ore splint)
THIS^^^^^ worked for me
In your situation, I would call NHS Direct. Might be worth trying to keep your wrist immoveble overnight, as that may help (using some kind of support ore splint)
THIS^^^^^ worked for me
Steffan said:
Up to the surgeon. But more than one steroid injection is possible. Yes I have had several injections over the years but this is a double edged sword
Too many could cause serious permanent damage.
Its a fine decision rely on your consultants: they should know best.
Thanks Steffan, I`ll see what they say then, thanks for all your help Too many could cause serious permanent damage.
Its a fine decision rely on your consultants: they should know best.
Zingari said:
Not sure if this is connected but I had a chum who apparently used to 'knock one out' much too often causing a degree of lethargy. His mum used to put boxing gloves on him before he went to bed.
Your doubt is justified I'm sure.Anyway,boxing gloves are no hindrance if you're really determined.
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