Using Steroid Injections When Carpal Tunnel Pain Slows You Down

Carpal tunnel syndrome affects millions every year, and we hand out new diagnoses almost daily. But perhaps the worst part is that most don’t realize just how many treatment options they have. 

When you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you might think your only course of action is to rest and ice your wrist, go to physical therapy, or take over-the-counter pain medication. While those therapies are effective, they aren’t your only choices. 

That’s why Dr. David Wu and our team at CurePain make sure all our patients know about steroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Here’s an inside look. 

The basics of carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome begins and ends with your median nerve. The median nerve runs the length of your arm, and when it becomes irritated and inflamed, your bones, nerves, and tendons don’t function properly. 

The result is weakness, loss of movement, tingling, numbness, and, of course, significant pain. 

You might be wondering how you ended up here. That mystery can be solved if you take a look at your medical history and your lifestyle. For instance, if you’ve broken your wrist in the past, you’re more likely to have carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Perhaps the most common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is repetitive wrist movements. 

If you work a sedentary desk job, play the piano, drive long distances, or work on an assembly line, you’re likely wearing out the muscles, nerves, and tendons in your wrist and causing microtears that trigger irritation and inflammation. 

Left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome only gets worse. What started as an irritating temporary ache can eventually become a lingering pain that doesn’t go away. 

Resting your hand and wrist is a great place to start, but you may need to take treatment a step further with steroid injections. 

Steroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome

Steroid injections contain powerful anti-inflammatory medication that quickly reduces inflammation and relieves symptoms. We carefully guide the needle directly into the damaged, inflamed areas of your wrist before gently pushing through the steroid medication. 

In a matter of days, you notice less pain, improved range of motion, and less tingling and numbness. In addition to symptom relief, patients who receive epidural injections are better able to participate in physical therapy, which provides even more pain relief. 

Because painful conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome are so complicated and vary so much from person to person, you may respond to one injection, or we may recommend that you have a series of injections to get the best results. 

Your complete treatment plan

Steroid injections almost always work better when you combine them with other interventions. So, we often round out your treatment plan with other carpal tunnel syndrome therapies, including wrist-hand orthotics. 

We also work with you to help you retrain your hand and wrist to change their pattern of use to avoid exacerbating your symptoms or reinjuring your wrist in the future.  

Carpal tunnel syndrome can grind life to a halt, but if you respond early and work with us to get the right combination of treatments, you can stop it in its tracks instead. 

If you’re interested in learning more about your treatment options, call our friendly staff or use our online booking tool to schedule a consultation at our Torrance, California, office today.