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cortisone shot: any experience?

T

thunderbyrd

Nov 29, 2006
52
6
#1
i am having a bad time with my fretting hand: back in the summer, through a trade, i acquired a killer strat-type guitar. i wanted to play it all the time, so i did. i played so much that i have demolised my fretting hand (left hand) forefinger. playing bar chords and vibrato did me in. i can play bass fairly well, as long as i'm careful with that finger, but i cannot even play a 1st position E or D chord without pain on guitar.

the only thing i've found that helps some is to put ice on that finger and my palm. that helps the pain, but the finger is still weak and is not healing.

so: does anybody think a cortisone shot in that area would help?
 
#4
Cortisone is a bandaid, not a repair.
You need to see a hand specialist ASAP, progressive degeneration can be remedied if caught before there's too much deterioration in ligaments. They may give you a Cortisone shot to rule out one thing or another, but it isn't a fix. Look at a Dr group that's approved/trained in the Brown hand procedure, by far one of the best methods of repair. To start on your own, I would use Aleve, 1 pill every 12hrs for 3 weeks straight and see if the pain lessens and flexibility increases. Ice after you play and heat before.
 
#5
Cortisone kills pain because it reduces inflammation. It reduces inflammation because it suppresses the body's immune response. It is a temporary remedy - but sometimes reducing the inflammation allows healing time. I get a cortisone shot for gout once every two or three years when I have a bad enough attack.

You should see a doctor and ask about it.
 
#6
As an RN my advice to you is; pain is a sign something is wrong. If you mask the problem with cortisone you run a bigger chance of doing more possibly permanent damage. It is best to understand what is actually causing the pain. In most cases time off with gentle stretching is the answer. Probably not what you want to hear. Tendon damage will take weeks to months to recover. With out seeing your hand it is to hard to know what's going on. You may want to see a doctor. Hands take a long time to heal. Good luck.
 
#7
I had asked an orthopedic specialist about such an injection for tendinitis in my left elbow (fretting arm) and he warned against it because too much could cause damage to the tendon. He said to get an injection only as a last resort. Better to wait and let it heal---
 
#8
No offense to anyone on the boards here, but get medical advice and do your own research. Unless someone wants to id themselves as an MD (I'm not one).

I have had a shot before though and I know a fair bit about these things for a layman. Cortisone is an anti-inflamatory steroid. It serves the same function as Advil or Aleve or oral steroidal anti-inflamatory such as prednasone. If you have an inflammation problem, it may be the right treatment for you. If your problem is something else, then as others said, it might make you feel temporarily better, but not address the issue, plus now you have a puncture wound.

While I compared it to oral anti-inflamatories, it has the advantage of being very local and very focused on a small area. I think there is an appropriate application for them and I think they get used a little too broadly some times.

I've had a few playing injuries and I have a chronic inflamatory disease, (which is why I feel fairly well informed on this subject). But you need to see a specialist or two and find out what's wrong with you before you can know the right way to treat it.

MAYBE after that is taken care of you'll want to take a look at your technique to see if there is a cause there as well. Bass is a physical instrument in all of it's forms and technique is critical to keep you playing it injury free.
 
#10
Go see an orthopedic hand surgeon, preferably someone who treats musicians. I've had 6 trigger/release surgeries and on a couple of occasions have had cortisone shots. The shots can work (worked wonders on my knee) but sometimes they don’t. They are however quick, easy, and cheap to administer. Your doctor will be able to work with you on a treatment protocol to get you back playing again. I find that RICE works well when I’m rehabbing my fingers back to playing condition after surgery. Even if it takes a couple of years to get them back to %100.
 
#11
sowilson said:
Go see an orthopedic hand surgeon, preferably someone who treats musicians. I've had 6 trigger/release surgeries and on a couple of occasions have had cortisone shots. The shots can work (worked wonders on my knee) but sometimes they don’t. They are however quick, easy, and cheap to administer. Your doctor will be able to work with you on a treatment protocol to get you back playing again. I find that RICE works well when I’m rehabbing my fingers back to playing condition after surgery. Even if it takes a couple of years to get them back to %100.
Click to expand...

How does RICE help? Do you eat it or heat it as a heating pad?
 
#12
Has it's been pointed out, cortisone is not a painkiller, and it has several drawbacks, so it's not to be taken lightly.
I also agree that it does sound like it could be a nerve-related problem, the only solution is getting checked by your MD.
(p.s. i'm a med student).
 
#20
svlilioukalani - listen to this guy.

I did not get a shot when I was having massive hand wrist problems because I was worried about masking the pain & causing further damage.
 

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