DeQuervain's tenosynovitis & corticosteriod injections

I have DeQuervain's tenosynovitis in both wrists & have had so since DS was around 2 months (he is now 9 months). After months of intense pain, physio, splint on both hands and taking ibuprofen for two weeks (so bad!!! but I needed something) I went to a Hand Surgeon who gave me a local injection of corticosteriods.

He told me it would take up to two weeks to work but a friend whose mother & sister had the same said it should work immediately.

I am still in a lot of pain. I only had one wrist done as I found the injection very painful and actually fainted afterwards (anything for a lay down!). The feeling of the needle gliding along the bone in my wrist was too much for me. It didn't help that the Dr said something to the effect of 'I can't get it all in' and then I felt him push the needle in further & pressure on the bone in my wrist. I found the whole experience very traumatic.

Splinting helps a bit but actually makes other parts of my hands & wrists ache...I wear them part-time which eases the pain of DeQuearvans but it is still significantly painful.

The Hand Surgeon said injections work in around 60% of cases & the next step is surgery (98% effective). I am not keen on surgery - the needle made me faint!

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I don't :hug: sorry. But ouch :( you poor thing :( :hug: Hope it gets better soon xx

I've got fairly severe rheumatoid arthritis and I've been offered steroid injections several times and have wussed out each and every time!

Were you offered longer-term treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs? There are others apart from ibuprofen. There's also the option of taking corticosteroid tablets... But I wonder if they are offered to me because my issues are in my whole body while yours are quite localised?

But I honestly think that surgery won't be as bad as the injections. You'd be under anaesthetic for a start, as well as post-operative pain medications.

I also think I'd trust your surgeon on the time periods - if there's quite a lot of inflammation, it will take time for the steroids injected in the area to bring it down.

BW

I had DeQuervain's with DD, but didn't end up having to have the injections as a few weeks of ultrasound therapy helped - you've probably tried it, but thought I'd mention it JIC.

:hug: its not easy when you're dealing with a LO, as I found pretty much anything I did aggrevated it. Good luck, I hope you get some relieve soon :hug:

I've had the surgery. It worked. Fabulously.