Post op cts pillar pain

manumom,

Unfortunately, it sounds like you have covered all the bases in terms of treatment options. As for the laser treatments, if they are helping significantly, continue them. But, if they aren't, then it's probably not worth the time, effort, and expense.

Of course, it would help if we actually knew what really caused the pillar pain. Then, the treatment could be directed at the source.

The only other thing that comes to mind, is that of deep massage. Some of the therapists have noted that patients who do deep massage of the base of the palm have some reduction in their pain, at least for a while. And, it is an easy thing to do, doesn't require any equipment, and doesn't cost anything.

Some patients combine it with a paraffin wax bath or hot packs, to warm up the tissues, to make them more pliable for the massage. But, it is not absolutely necessary.


Sorry, other than moral support and a little more tincture of time, there really isn't anything else to offer. Just the hope that this will get better with some more time.

Since one of the leading theories on the cause is destabilization of the bones/joints which make up most of the carpal tunnel, maybe the bones will eventually find a good resting position, quit moving around, and thus decrease the pain in the palm.

We can only hope.

Wishing you the best. Hope your problem finally works itself out.

Good luck.

I've got pillar pain in my palm scar too and I've done all the deep massaging I can stand. I got a 2nd opinion from a plastic surgeon and he says that maybe a cortisone shot would do the trick but I don't know. This "tincture of time" remedy is getting to be old with me now that it is more than 8 weeks post-op and now the Doctor has me on some strong anti-inflammatory meds which don't seem to be doing anything at all, but occasionally making me sick to the stomach. I find that shoving the hand into hot water for several minutes and then cold for a minute and visa versa seem to help with the circulation because it is now worse than it was before the surgery. I guess I'm one of those cases where the surgery seems to have not helped a whole lot, but then the hand has pretty well full range-of-motion but I suffer from cramps in both hands - the one with the surgery and the one that is supposed to get surgery. Last time at the Doc's office (first doc) I told him he was not going to get my right hand until the left hand is totally normal to which he agreed and at this rate, he may never get it. I have found some other thing that is helping more than all the other remedies I have tried for 2 years including this surgery in August. In fact if I had of been able to have the doctor write a prescription for this which was the intention of my first visit, that would have been the last visit and there would have been no surgery, but he bluntly told me that it would not work, and so did 2 more doctors and after 2 nights on this, which I paid for out of my own pocket instead of getting help thru insurance, I have had more success with this than anything else and of course the surgery. The more people I actually talk to, it appears that CT surgery is like 50% good and even my husband's cousin had it twice on both hands and they cannot do it again and she is back to braces a lot!

After living with pillar pain for 4 months, i finally agreed to cortione shots. I.'m convinced this has given me relief finally. My new pain management dr. Said the laser will not help me and I feel he is right.

I'm told cortisone shots will help initially but don't get too many of them - I know they will totally wreck a joint if you are like the tennis star with tendonitis in his elbows who was rich enough to get some doctor somewhere to continue cortisone shots so he could continue to play, but in the end he actually lost the whole joint. So I guess he had to say goodbye to something he really loved. I think I read that in the Reader's Digest, but not too totally sure. I know that after a week and before the bandage was taken off my left hand, my doctor asked if I had any numbness. Well, I was wrapped like a mummy for a week and I told him I had no numbness and I would suppose that he has probably put that down as one of the 90% success rates with CT surgery, but now 8 1/2 weeks post op I have pain shooting up my arm again - yes the one with the surgery and that was the final straw that sent me to surgery. I think that now the surgery is no longer a success. I wish some survey company would contact patients who have had the surgery after maybe 2 months, 6 months, a year and maybe a few more to see if the surgery really worked in the long run, but I know of people who had to repeat it a couple of years later. My husband's cousin had it done twice on both hands and it worked then, but after that she can't have any more surgery and she is back to braces again! Well, I still think more longterm study should be done because my doctor has it written down as a success, but it isn't!

All i can say is I'm free from Pain now. The shots did it for me. Living with the pillar pain is horrible and it started to affect my quality of life. I'm back to doing my favorite things, golfing etc.

Your right cortisone long term is really uniknown. It's a choice i made for myself. I just love being outside golfing . Ttaking life a day at a time and doing what i love is important . People around me are happier too!,