What to do about pain after cortisone shot

[maestramommy]

I'm sitting here typing with my left hand and right index finger. I've had carpal tunnel in my right wrist for while now, so yesterday I agreed to get a cortisone shot. Aack! the doc said there would be pain after the novacaine wore off, and to use ice and tylenol. He didn't say it would be crippling! I can hardly open my hand and move my 3rd and 4th fingers because the pain is unbelievable, and as for doing anything, forget it. I'm completely dependent on my thumb and index finger right now. I called his office, and the office said it's very common, and should last about 3 days. @#$%&*! I'm supposed to call Friday morning if it's not better by then. If I knew this was going to happen I would've said forget it and tried Advil therapy first. Grrrrr! Good thing I'm not working. I can't imagine having to teach without the use of my right hand.

Has anyone else done this? Is there something I can do about the pain besides Tylenol and ice (which is not working)? I'm supposed to wear a wrist brace as much as possible, in fact I'm wearing it right now, but I'm afraid of getting stiff on top of everything else.

[megs4413]

so sorry! getting stiff is a definite possibility...i haven't had the shots in my hand but did have them in a muscle in my shoulder years ago...it was very painful! make sure you move those fingers that you can't move on your own with your other hand...did that make sense? move your joints through their full range of motion. not a ton, but just to keep them loose enough that they don't tighten up too badly on you. the only other thing you can do is the ice and tylenol. i would wear the wrist brace as much as you can, and then when you're not wearing it...move your joints around as much as you can...don't force them, but my big problem was that i didn't know to do this, and my tendons or ligaments (i have no idea which) fused together in my rotator cuff and i was unable to lift my arm. It took months of physical therapy to get it loosened up and my right arm still doesn't lift as well as my left! I hope you get some good advice and some relief soon!

[maestramommy]

Thanks! My instinct is to keep the limbs moving even though it kills! Of course there's a spot under where the shot went in that is extremely tender. I think tonight I'm going to try a heating pad instead. Did you find out whether the pain was from the shot only or was there nerve damage? This is my biggest fear since I play piano!

[Aunt to sweet baby boy]

Melinda,

So sorry you are going through this. I got a cortisone injection last week. It hurt like heck for about 2 days and then that pain wore off. I find that heat really helps and i also took motrin for the pain. My doctor told me to just listen to my body and wear the brace as much as i want. I also try to stretch my hand every 1/2 hour because it gets very stiff.

I hope it feels better soon!

Ilana, aka Nana to my sweet nephew Avi

http://lilypie.com/pic/060826/Fsm6.jpg[/img]http://b2.lilypie.com/alzym7/.png[/img][/url]

[maestramommy]

Thanks Ilana! I'm using heat right now and it does feel like I have more movement without the killing pain. I'll do ice later, and (ironically!) take some Advil.

[Moneypenny]

I recently had a cortisone shot in my shoulder. My ortho suggested 2 ibuprofen (NOT tylenol - you need the anti-inflammatory property of the ibuprofen) every 4 hours for 4 -7 days. After two days I was fine, but that first day afterward I was really wondering what the heck I had been thinking to get the shot in the first place!
Susan
mama to my cutie pie, Avery
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif[/img][/url]

[maestramommy]

After two days I was fine, but that first day
>afterward I was really wondering what the heck I had been
>thinking to get the shot in the first place!
>Susan

You're not the only one! I was wondering why the heck didn't I ask what the side effects would be, or at least how long the pain was going to last, and if it would have any effect on function.