Injections for CTS

Posted by TL on Oct 9, 2013 in POEMs | 0 comments

Annals of Internal Medicine | Methylprednisolone Injections for the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Steroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome provide significant short term relief – at the 12 month mark most patients end up requiring surgery anyway. They may be helpful while you are on a long public-hospital waiting list.

Injection with methylprednisolone proximal to the carpal tunnel: randomised double blind trial | BMJ: “Injection with methylprednisolone proximal to the carpal tunnel: randomised double blind trial
(Published 2 October 1999) BMJ 1999;319:884″

The BMJ liked steroids given proximal to the carpal tunnel.

• Corticosteroid injections into the carpal tunnel may damage the nerve, and any treatment benefits may be of short duration
• A single injection with steroids proximal to the carpal tunnel improves 77% of patients with the carpal tunnel syndrome at one month after treatment
• This single injection is still effective at one year in half of the patients
• Injections proximal to the carpal tunnel have no side effects and are easier to carry out than injections into the carpal tunnel

If you subscribe to the ‘youtube one, do one, teach one‘ principle, Dr Stuart Myers of Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney and myhand.com.au offers this video guide.