I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists/hands. Lately they have been both been painful, numb, cold, tingling, loss of strength and grip - you name it! Trying to avoid surgery – has anyone had this issue and used steroid injections with success? I’ve had many of those over the years in my shoulder, elbow and wrist - for a different issue. Looking for recommendations. I have braces that I use. Use ice, Valtoren, meds, etc.
Thanks
PennyG
I tried it and it didn’t work. After I had the surgery I realized I should have skipped the injections. One issue is that the first one will last something like 6 months, the next one less than that, and the next one even less. So eventually they don’t do much good. The surgery is really quick, and while inconvenient until you get the stitches out, is not that big a deal, and it sure makes a big difference.
I have ulnar tunnel syndrome not carpal tunnel, but the symptoms are similar.
Acupuncture and massage have worked wonders with it.
I had the surgery 15 years ago and am so glad I did. The muscles/ strength in your hands will continue to waste away if you don’t get it fixed and may not return if it goes on too long. I tried rubs, braces, etc, at first but it didn’t work. It is a simple out patient surgery and I was awake through the whole thing and healing time was fairly quick.
[QUOTE=TKR;6863778]
I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists/hands. Lately they have been both been painful, numb, cold, tingling, loss of strength and grip - you name it! Trying to avoid surgery – has anyone had this issue and used steroid injections with success? I’ve had many of those over the years in my shoulder, elbow and wrist - for a different issue. Looking for recommendations. I have braces that I use. Use ice, Valtoren, meds, etc.
Thanks
PennyG[/QUOTE]
Yes. Start taking Vitamin B50. It stops the tingling, numbness, and pain, and promotes long term healing. Take it as often as you want - it’s water soluable and what your body doesn’t use, it gets rid of in the urine. Best advice a doctor ever gave me. Saved me from the knife. And that was decades ago.
Doctors will also advise taking Vitamin E once a day, too. It helps the B vitamins get to the source of the issue (the irritated tendon sheath) and further encourages the long term healing.
You won’t need surgery, ice, pain meds, etc. Also get rid of those wrist braces if you are using them - they do nothing but atrophy the muscles in your wrists.
[QUOTE=pdq;6864324]
Yes. Start taking Vitamin B50. It stops the tingling, numbness, and pain, and promotes long term healing. Take it as often as you want - it’s water soluable and what your body doesn’t use, it gets rid of in the urine. Best advice a doctor ever gave me. Saved me from the knife. And that was decades ago.
Doctors will also advise taking Vitamin E once a day, too. It helps the B vitamins get to the source of the issue (the irritated tendon sheath) and further encourages the long term healing.
You won’t need surgery, ice, pain meds, etc. Also get rid of those wrist braces if you are using them - they do nothing but atrophy the muscles in your wrists.[/QUOTE]
You should be aware that what works for some does not guarantee working for others. Please go with the advice of your doctor and see someone who specializes in carpal tunnel.
[QUOTE=candyappy;6865795]
You should be aware that what works for some does not guarantee working for others. Please go with the advice of your doctor and see someone who specializes in carpal tunnel.[/QUOTE]
The advice I offered was from a doctor who specialized in Carpal Tunnel injuries and treated me personally. So the OP can take my experience into consideration. No surgery, just B50/Vit E, and the CT healed. I’ve been pain free and CT free for over 30 years, and some of the things I do, and have done over the years, can be hell on my hands.
Not all doctors will tell you about alternative treatments - they don’t make money off them. If we want to be brutally honest, making money is what many doctors are in the business to do.
The best thing the OP can do is ask around - which is what she’s doing - and then sort through the information to see what fits her needs. She is smart to not take the word of one medical person who suggests surgery without seeking other opinions. You can’t “undo” a surgery should things go wrong.
What daily allowance of vit B complex and E?
I had injections nearly a year ago and they helped a lot. I still wear the braces at night, but I’m no longer waking up at night feeling like my hands are on fire, have more hand strength, etc.
[QUOTE=grayarabpony;6866142]
What daily allowance of vit B complex and E?
I had injections nearly a year ago and they helped a lot. I still wear the braces at night, but I’m no longer waking up at night feeling like my hands are on fire, have more hand strength, etc.[/QUOTE]
My doctor told me that 2 B50 a day, one in the morning, and one before going to bed, is usually sufficient for most people. Only 1 E a day. He said, if I was using my hands hard, to take an extra B50 or two during the day, or whenever I was going to do things with my hands that impacted the CT, and not to worry about the B vitamins building in my system. My body, he said, would just “wash out” what it didn’t need. 1 E only, however, as it will build up if you overtake. I took the 400 iu E.
I stopped having pain, could sleep comfortably through the night with my hands calm and happy, and didn’t have to stop riding, stop grooming, stop mucking stalls, stop using the computer, stop doing anything. My hands healed, even as I used them, but it did take time, just as any injury would. However, it didn’t cost thousands in medical costs, or surgery, or result in scars, or demand I stop doing my daily routine.
I would call that wonderful dr about every 6 months for the first few years (until I moved out of state) to tell him how things were going (fantastic!!!), and he was always so pleased to hear from me. What a treasure he was. 
[QUOTE=grayarabpony;6866142]
What daily allowance of vit B complex and E?
I had injections nearly a year ago and they helped a lot. I still wear the braces at night, but I’m no longer waking up at night feeling like my hands are on fire, have more hand strength, etc.[/QUOTE]
My doctor told me that 2 B50 a day, one in the morning, and one before going to bed, is usually sufficient for most people. Only 1 E a day. He said if I was using my hands hard to take an extra B50 or two during the day, or whenever I was going to do things with my hands that impacted the CT, and not to worry about the B vitamins building in my system. My body, he said, would just “wash out” what it didn’t need. 1 E only, however, as it will build up if you overtake. I took the 400 iu E.
I stopped having pain, could sleep comfortably through the night with my hands calm and happy, and didn’t have to stop riding, stop grooming, stop mucking stalls, stop using the computer, stop doing anything. My hands healed, even as I used them, but it did take time, just as any injury would. However, it didn’t cost thousands in medical costs, or surgery, or result in scars, or demand I stop doing my daily routine.
I would call that wonderful GP doctor about every 6 months for the first few years (until I moved out of state) to tell him how things were going (fantastic!!!), and he was always so pleased to hear from me. What a treasure he was.
Will have to try the B complex and E!
[QUOTE=Leather;6864031]
I have ulnar tunnel syndrome not carpal tunnel, but the symptoms are similar.
Acupuncture and massage have worked wonders with it.[/QUOTE]
This works wonders for me. My carpal tunnel symptoms turned out to be a result of messed up shoulders. It’s not a cure all, but sure helped.
[QUOTE=pdq;6866046]
The advice I offered was from a doctor who specialized in Carpal Tunnel injuries and treated me personally. So the OP can take my experience into consideration. No surgery, just B50/Vit E, and the CT healed. I’ve been pain free and CT free for over 30 years, and some of the things I do, and have done over the years, can be hell on my hands.
Not all doctors will tell you about alternative treatments - they don’t make money off them. If we want to be brutally honest, making money is what many doctors are in the business to do.
The best thing the OP can do is ask around - which is what she’s doing - and then sort through the information to see what fits her needs. She is smart to not take the word of one medical person who suggests surgery without seeking other opinions. You can’t “undo” a surgery should things go wrong.[/QUOTE]
I asked DH about this since he’s a family doc. He used to prescribe B6 and E for carpal tunnel patients but it didn’t seem to help much and a study showed indifferent results overall. When I asked him about it after reading here he said it can’t hurt but may not help. Also to give the vitamins three months and continue using the braces. I’m going to give it a try, why not?
Ok - I’m not your doctor, your husband, and I can only tell you what I was told and what worked for me.
B50 is what I used, and what was suggested by my doctor for my CT in the 1980’s (yeah, it was that long ago). I know that a few years later there were lots of efforts by various medical persons trying to “skinny down” the (what they hoped was) the effective vitamin. They settled on B6 and isolated that for their studies. Of course, the results did not seem to match up with the success that had been reported for the B50.
Your DH said B6. My doctor said B50. I’m not going to tell you what to take, but…if the B6 is “indifferent”, and the B50 that I took promoted a long term cure…and here I am 30+ years later still cured of a very severe case of CT and no longer having to take B50 unless I want an energy boost …well, it is up to you which one you want to try. After all, it is your hands.
Hubby told me a lot of his patients did use a complex B vitamin, but I said I was going to give it a try. 
I ordered B50 and E. I hope it works!
Good for you! Keeping figures crossed for you that it works as well as it did for me. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me anytime. :)
BTW - a B vitamin complex it may not necessarily be a B-50 formula. There are lots of B combinations out there on the shelves, and anyone buying a simple B complex will find it helps their metabolism and adds in boosting their energy level…but unless it says on the front label B-50, it won’t be right formulation to properly aid in helping heal CTS.
