Chronic wrist tendonitis, corticosteroid shots and surgery in both wrists, didn't help

by Angela

Hi Joshua,


I have been dealing with wrist tendonitis since February 2009. I am 26 and have been an auditor for 4 years, so i'm constantly typing, carrying heavy files, and driving to different locations for my audits.

At first, the pain started on the back of my left wrist so I went to my family physician and I was told i could have a possible sprain and to rest my wrist and wear a brace.

Well after a couple months the pain went away. Then in July 2009 the pain returned so I kept wearing the brace but this time pain just got worse.

I went to my doctor again in September and was referred to an orthopedic. The doctor told me I had tendonitis and needed to rest my wrist for 2 weeks. So I was out of work for 2 weeks.

During that time I started feeling the same aching and pain in my right wrist but it was hard to rest it because I'm right handed and my left wrist was also hurting.

When I went back to work the pain in both wrists continued to get worse and worse and the location of the pain changed. The pain was now along the side of the wrist by my thumb and it hurt to grab anything. So I went back to the doctor in October 2009.

He told me that my job was causing my issue and diagnosed me with de quervain tendonitis in each wrist. During that visit i also received a cortisone shot in the back of my wrist. The doctor also said i needed to take a break from work to heal and recommended occupational therapy 2 times per week where the therapist performed therapeutic ultrasound, wrist exercises, ans stretching on each wrist.

During the 2 months i was out of work, the cortisone shot helped the tendonitis on the back of my wrist, but the dequervain tendonitis became worse. Therapy was not working so in December 2009 I received another cortisone shot but this time it was injected over my thumb on each wrist.

The shot worked on my left wrist; however the pain did not change in my right wrist so my doctor suggested surgery on my right wrist. Since I was in excruciating pain and needed to go back to work I decided to ahead with the "tendon release" surgery in January 2010. It took 3 months to recover but I felt better and was able to work.

Throughout the rest of 2010 I still felt some aching and pain in my right wrist but it would come and go. The doctors put me back in therapy which temporarily relieved the pain.

Now in 2011 I still have pain in both wrists. It's not as bad as before but it limits what I can do and hurts most when I drive and use the computer mouse. I ice and stretch each wrist but don't know what else to do. Its really affecting my life and I would like to go bowling, drive long distances and play video games again. The doctor doesn't seem to understand why i still have symptoms and doesn't have any other suggestions. I have the following questions:

1. What else can I
do to relieve my symptoms?

2. Why didn't the surgery help my right wrist?

3. Should I consider getting another cortisone shot?

4. Is it possible that I will have to deal with tendonitis the rest of my life?

Thanks,
Angela



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Joshua Answers:

Hello Angela.

Welcome to the common of experience of people with Tendonitis when they go through the medical system.

I'll jump right to your questions:

1. What else can I do to relieve my symptoms?

Get my Reversing Wrist Tendonitis ebook is the short answer, as it has everything you need.

The longer answer is, you must make sure to get rid of any nutritional deficiencies that are adding to your pain ecology. You must kick out the Process of Inflammation. You must reverse the Pain Causing Dynamic that has been, for years, making the structures of your forearm and and tighter and tighter and tighter.

Guess what doesn't get 'released' when you get surgery? ALL the other tightness that is causing your pain.


2. Why didn't the surgery help my right wrist?

I don't know. There are a variety of reasons, including, A. Surgery isn't magic and just because you cut on something doesn't make it all better, B. Surgery can't get rid of pain caused by nutritional deficiency or inflammation, C. Most of the time, where you feel the pain isn't the CAUSE of the pain.

There are MANY factors that go into that question. Ask me a more specific question.


3. Should I consider getting another cortisone shot?

Did the earlier ones fix anything?

Aside from that, Corticosteroid Injections can and do weaken connective tissue and cause other problems, including taking all the pain away so you continue to use your arm/hand, hurting yourself without being able to feel it.


4. Is it possible that I will have to deal with tendonitis the rest of my life?

Absolutely, unless you find and fix the CAUSE of the problem.

In life, pain does commonly come and go. But in the situation you describe, especially post-surgery, it's a safe bet that it's not going to just go away on it's own. I'd love to be wrong, but the body just doesn't seem to work that way.

I think you've noticed the trend that 'rest' isn't working. Clearly corticosteroid shots don't. Clearly surgery didn't.



Granted, I'm biased and highly suggest following what you'll find in my ebook, as well as asking questions along the way.




A couple important things to know:

Rest doesn't fix anything.

Your job didn't cause your Symptoms of Tendonitis. Symptoms come from the Downward Spiral of increasing tightness, dysfunction, and pain that build up over the years until finally your body starts losing the battle.


More questions, more answers.



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Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com
















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Comments for Chronic wrist tendonitis, corticosteroid shots and surgery in both wrists, didn't help

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Jun 08, 2011
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More information- Chronic wrist tendonitis, corticosteroid shots and surgery in both wrists, didn't help
by: Angela

Hi Joshua,

The cortisone shot helped my left wrist for about a year and it really has no affect on my right wrist. It continues to ache.

I have learned several things since my last post.

I have a Vitamin D deficiency and the dr prescribed Vitamin D2. When I had it checked again month ago my level was still low and was I told to take 2,000 IU of Vit D3 every day, but it doesn't seem to help.

I have also been getting chiropractic treatment for the past 9 weeks to align both wrists. At first, the treatment was working and I didn't have as much pain in either of my wrist.

About 2 weeks ago my right and left wrists started getting worse. They ache, especially the right wrist when I drive and try to use a computer mouse.

My chiropractor has tried ultrasound and laser treatment but it didn't work. He sent me for an MRI on my right wrist, since it hurts the worst.

The results showed that I have mild tenosynovitis with a small longitudinal split-type partial tear of the abductor pollicis longus tendo distal. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I was told I had a tear in my tendon. the chiropractor mention that my surgery could have cause the tear to happen but he is not sure.

I was referred to a well respected orthopedic - hand specialist. I will be going next week.

In the meantime I have been icing both wrist about 3 times a day and doing ice dips for about a week. Those treatments do not seem to be working so far. Since i have a partial tear in my tendon is surgery my only option?

I really don't want to have surgery again and I want to keep my left wrist from getting any worse. Could release surgery on my wrist cause my tendon to tear?

I have a constant struggle in managing the pain and inflammation. Will acupuncture or massage therapy be effective? Should I be stretching my wrist or doing exercises? Do you have any other suggestions that could help?


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Joshua Comments in Next Section




Jun 09, 2011
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Joshua Replies - Chronic wrist tendonitis, corticosteroid shots and surgery in both wrists, didn't help
by: The Tendonitis Expert

Joshua Comments:

Hi Angela.

Hmmm, where to start.

1. Your doctor is -far- behind current knowledge of VItamin D.
A. Vitamin D2 is essentially useless. It raises levels, but gives little if any of the benefits.
B. 2,000 i.u.'s of Vit D3 is unlikely to bring your levels up. Vitamin D researchers' current recommendation is 5,000i.u.'s per day as a -maintenance- dose.

It's not that what you took 'didn't help'. It's that you didn't take enough.

It's like pouring a measuring cup full of water into a big pot and then saying the measuring cup full of water 'didn't help' to fill up the pot.

It did help, but a pot requires much more water than you put in. Basically, at 2,000i.u.'s/day, you had VERY little chance of it bringing your levels up.

So there's that.


2. If you have such a significant injury, it's constantly turning up the dial on your pain/inflammation response. It's safe to say you're haven't ice dipped enough, for long enough a duration. I'd expect you'd need to hit the ice dipping HARD for several days before you'd even start to notice any benefit.

It is beneficial, but it has to push against an inflammation process that is pushing back very vigorously. You have to push with ice dipping harding than inflammation is pushing back.


3. Is surgery your only option?

No. And, it just all depends.

Massage will help if it targets the right things, and if you get enough of it. Same with Acupuncture. Plus, it depends on who you work with.

You had surgery, but that surgery didn't fix the CAUSE of the problem. That cause is still in place. And now it's adapted, your muscles aren't doing their job correctly, force transferred to that tendon because of that, and you got a tear.

Surgery will knit the tendon together, but again, won't beneficially address the CAUSE of the problem.

You can deal with the cause in a couple different ways.

I can show you effective self care in Reversing Wrist Tendonitis ebook. It will take time and effort, will make the ecology of the area healthier, and allow things to heal and work better.

And, nowadays, in any instance of rip/tear, I HIGHLY suggest you try the free in home session with The ARPwave System.

It's fast and far more effective than anything I can do, even if we were in person. My ego hates to say that, but it's true. You'll heal FAST, and you'll heal RIGHT.

It'll definitely cost you more than the $19.99 the ebook costs, but I can't even tell you how effective it is, you'll have to experience that for yourself in the free trial session.

Having said that, you definitely want to make sure your nutritional bases are covered, which you'll find in the ebook.


More questions, more answers.



Apr 27, 2012
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Wrist aching, pain, weakness after repetitive motion
by: Mark

About 6-8 weeks ago, I installed some welded wire fencing around part of our yard. As part of that, I used wire cutters to cut pieces of the fencing...it cutting required a lot of force due to the thickness of the wire, and I would guess I cut over 100 individual wires.

Since then, my wrists have never been the same. They ache, feel "stiff," range of motion is reduced, they are weak -- I can no longer support myself to do pushups. Does this sound like tendonitis? Can it be fixed/healed?


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Joshua Comments:


Hi Mark.

It sure sounds like a Tendonitis dynamic to me.

See: What Is Tendonitis

It makes sense that you overworked your already too-tight muscles, the nervous system decided that you were in danger and kicked in an inflammation response as part of the defensive mechanism.

More questions, more answers.






Feb 04, 2013
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Pain and Swollen face and itchy eyes after corticosteroid shot
by: Denise

I was given a Cortisone Injection 2 months ago, and immediately had an extremely severe allergic reaction. My blood pressure shot way up, (it's usually a very healthy low), and I became so nauseous and dizzy I had to hold onto something to stand. Since then, my system has never recovered. I've now developed allergies to everything. Within 20 minutes of eating 2 beef tacos, my throat started to swell and my face started itching. Also, the right side of my face, where I got the injection, is always swollen.

The doctor who gave me the injection won't help me at all. He just keeps saying the shot he gave me has nothing to do with my symptoms! (I now have to carry Benadryl in case my throat starts to swell up!) I just want to get my system back to normal, (the way it was before this doctor gave me this shot.) Could you please help me?

Oh, my eyes are always swollen and itchy too, especially the right side where he gave me the shot. Could you please help me?

Thank you so much. Sincerely, Denise


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Denise.

Sorry, I can' directly help as that's way outside my realm of expertise.

I can say that if you've been like that for two months, you need to find a different doctor.

It's not a common occurence to have such an extreme reaction from a steroid shot, but it's also not unheard of. Your original doctor just has no idea about his profession. Shame on him.

In general though, it sounds like you had an adverse reaction, meaning the opposite of what 'should' have happened.

It sounds like you got super inflammed from an anti-inflammatory. Again, that orginal doctor is criminally clueless and should lose his license, in my humble opinion.

Somebody knows how to deal with that. I don't, unfortunately.

It's been a while since you wrote in (sorry it took me so long to get to it). Please give us an update on what's happened since then.




Jan 09, 2015
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injections for carpal tunnel
by: dolores

I received a cortisone shot for my carpal tunnel.That same day my doctor said I could go right to work . ( I should mention I am a Massage Therapist) One hour after the injection a did 5 straight hours of massage.

When I got home that night I was in worse pain. Could this have made my issue worse?


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Dolores.

Yes it could have made your tendonitis dynamic worse.

At best, Corticosteroid Injections numb you to the pain.

Then you do 5 hours of work in a way you would not have if you had been accurately feeling your hands/wrist/arms.

So you caused more irritation to an already irritated dynamic.

It sounds like you don't know how to fix carpal tunnel.

I suggest you learn how in The Carpal Tunnel Treatment That Works program.

Your career relies largely on being able to use your hands. And while you should be using lots of forarm and elbow etc, it's still all involved.

Learn how to get your body back on track, then you can better help others with the same issue.





Jan 12, 2015
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De Quervains and flaring
by: Juanita

Hi, I had surgery on both my wrists 4yrs ago with great success. ironically my good left hand has now flared with what I assume is tendonitis again.

I believe it started when I overused it with a screw driver then the next day even though it was sore trained at gym.

I've been taking 750mg anti inflammatories and had 2.5wks rest to no avail. I got told to try physio which I don't believe will be worth it and suggested i strap it too train.

I'm wondering what your thoughts may be on this.

Thanks


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Joshua Comments:

Hello Juanita.

My thoughts are that you should reverse the factors that caused the pain the first time and are causing it again.

You mention Dequervains Tendonitis in the title of your post, and you had surgery for wrist tendontis previously....it's all one and the same dynamic.

If nothing else, it would be worth it to learn How To Reduce Inflammation.

This is a great thread to read, including, follow the links are read up on those topics.



Mar 06, 2015
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Wrist synovitis or tendon tear in 64 year old bowler
by: Brent

I am a 64 year old avid bowler. I have been bowling several days a week for many years and use a 15 pound ball. This past winter, my wrist became sore. I began using a wrist support while bowling at this point.

During a tournament last month, I felt a pronounced pop on the back of my wrist. Since then, my wrist has been sore and weak.

My physician assistant prescribed naproxen, rest and immobilization but I have seen little progress in a month. I see an orthopedist in two weeks and hope to get an mri approved.

Last night, I found your web site and performed my first ice dip which I will continue for a week. Today, I'll start taking 400ml magnesium and I already take vitamin d.

1)One bowler I know has had surgery after feeling a pop in his wrist and he was out 8 months.

Another one got a cortisone injection and still bowls.

Based on your writings, I assume I should avoid both. One chiropractor said he could use an ultasound machine to drive cortisone liquid in to the sore area.

2)Should I consider surgery if the tendon is actually torn or can it heal itself?

3) the new season begins in September. Should I tell my team mates to find a replacement for the season?

4) Should I drop down to a 14 pound ball even though I'm physically strong enough to throw 15 pounds?

5) Should I try cryotherapy?


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Brent.

It's been a while since you wrote in but:

Based on your writings, I assume I should avoid both.

I'm not a fan of Corticosteroid Injections. They might reduce pain and get you back in the game, but they don't fix the problem, potentially set you up for a bigger problem down the line, and for some people, make things hurt a lot worse.


Surgery may be necessary. If so, so be it. But here are some questions to ask your doc. Primarily, what exactly is surgery going to do and how is it going to make things better? If there's a significant tear, ok. If not....some doctors want to do exploratory surgery, which I find to be a crazy, crazy thing.

Quiz Your Doctor


2)Should I consider surgery if the tendon is actually torn or can it heal itself?

If it's actually torn, it depends on how big the tear is. If its tiny, then if you reverse the factors that led to the tear, it's probably fine.

The bigger the tear gets, the more surgery may be necessary...but you still need to reverse the factors that led the lack of functionality that led to the tear.


3) the new season begins in September. Should I tell my team mates to find a replacement for the season?

If you're not pain free (or close to it) and fully functional, then probably a replacement is a good idea.


4) Should I drop down to a 14 pound ball even though I'm physically strong enough to throw 15 pounds?

That's a temporary work around to get through the day, but avoids fixing the actual problem.

Muscles and connective tissue are too tight. Nutritional insufficiency. Chronic inflammation. These are three primary (and progressive) factors that must be reversed.

Quitting bowling isn't going to fix anything.


5) Should I try cryotherapy?

Ice dipping, ABSOLUTELY!

It's really effective at what it's effective at, which is increasing circulation (old stuff out, new stuff in) and decreasing pain levels.






Feb 11, 2017
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Done my tendon in left thumb
by: Jayne

I want to know if after injections in sheath tendon why it is so swollen can't move anything so much pain makes me cry can't move it without feeling pain worse now than before.


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Jayne.

1. Corticosteroid injections aren't magic, and don't work 100% of the time or even close to it.

2. Corticosteroid injections can irritate and makes things worse.

3. While corticosteroid injections may provide temporary relief but even if they drop pain levels for a while, they ignore 100% of the causes of the pain and inflammation.


In your scenario, it sounds like a needle stabbed your very unhappy tendon sheath, but the contents of the shot didn't effectively lower pain levels.






Mar 02, 2017
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Wrist pain & cortisone shot
by: Ausret

I had an EMG the doc told me I had carpel tunnel in the left for sure possibly in the right and sent me to a surgeon. He gave me a cortisone shot in Mt right being the less painful one that day.

I had horrible side effects but finally took benadryl which helped the side effects & the shot wore off quick within hrs.

When I went back to surgeon he said there's nothing he can do since the shot didn't work.

I'm in pain all the time braces make it worse.

What can I do next?


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Ausret.

I'd get and start working with The Carpal Tunnel Treatment That Works

If you actually have compression up at the neck to the right and left side, there is not injection or pill or 'trick' that is going to make things better. You need a complete plan of attack of your want to reverse the factors that have gotten you to where you're at.

Even if you went to another doctor, they're all working out of the same toolbox, so you're just going to get more prescriptions for corticosteroid injections, rest, braces, physical therapy, and then when all that fails, surgery (which may or may not work depending on what have going on.....definitely won't work if you have compression up at the neck/shoulder).




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