Finally getting my Cortisone shot for wrist!!!

So in Medical terms I have De Quervain's tendonitis.

For anyone wondering what it is or if they have it this is a breif explanation:

The cause of the pain associated with De Quervain's tendonitis is inflammation around the tendons of two distinct muscles called the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis. The tendons on the side and back of the wrist run through a "pulley", analogous to a fishing line running through the eyelets of a fishing pole. The tendon normally slides smoothly, but inflammation and swelling around the tendon can cause it to snag and get caught on the pulley causing pain.

You can also preform the "finkelstein test". - Google it.

The pisser is that woman are usually the ones that get it do to potato peeling, picking babies up, or knitting - I guess not so manly.

How I got it: Felt small pain while setting down 85LB dumbell on the rack after doing shrugs.
How did it feel immediately: almost felt like a release - not really a very very bad pain.. some heat but i knew something wasnt 100% right.
What I did immediately: like an @sshole I continued working out.
What happend next days: There was more pain the next time I worked out when I did certain excersizes like Barbell curls, dumbell supinated style curls mostly but nothing unbearable.
Next few weeks: pain persisted. Actually after some innitial small pains, I would work through it and when I left the gym it actually felt "better" but the next day waking up would hurt a lot
What was my rehabilition / prevention technique: (I failed) I wore wrist wraps for when I was working out and metal splint (I bought from pharmacy) to immobilize for day to day activities.
Did it help: Well it got worse and I totally changed my workout to do excersizes that put less strain on curling or using the wrist - funny - but things like hammer curls would be totally fine since I would hold a tight wrist using other wrist muscles - I did chin ups as well. But unfortunately the day to day activities were getting harder as well.
It would not hurt but then id do some stupid movement like put on my jacket or try to wipe my @ss and it would hurt so much I could cry. It also started affecting other excersizes like bench press - I would lose 2 - 3 reps after De-racking the bar just to fix my hand placement so it would be comfortable (1 placement was good for the lift but needed to be readjusted for the reps)

After 7 months of hardcore lifting, losing weight, getting a body I was just starting to be proud of seeing the dividends of hard work pay off - I am halted and have not lifted since last January 20th. I am antsy - getting soft and cannot weight to get this shot!! I never got a cortisone shot.

Has anyone gotten one in the wrist - how long till you started lifting again? I'm sure the Doc will say to lay off for 6-8 weeks of course he doesn't give a sh*t about my body lol.

I never been pushed to getting a shot, but i know its not easy. You have to take time off to let it heal quicker. I've been down the same road too and its pretty ****ty. If you absolutly have to lift(which i don't blame you by the way) your gonna have to lighten the load. No need to continue aggravating the injury. Aleast with the lightened load you'll give your wrist a fighting chance to heal.

I had surgery on my wrist in april (ulnar shorteniing)...had 2 cortisone shots, the 2nd one hurt like hell for some reason..and since my wrists are super skinny i think it hurt more. It also changed the texture of my skin there and doc said that was normal and would eventually heal. not sure if it helped because the pain from the 2nd shot lasted a long time. some people swear by them. im typing w one hand now cuz i just got back from the gym and im icing it. dont try too much too fast because it will set you back even further.. i know it sux bad because i love to lift heavy and now i have to avoid a lot of exercises and use super low wt. you dont want to end up back at square one and i know its frustrating as hell but you have to be good to that wrist ...i hope everything turns out well for you : )

I just got a cortisone shot on monday in my shoulder, it wasn't too bad but I am still sore from the shot...it is better than yesterday though.

So I got m y shot! took 5 minutes. The Doc said that this type of Tendonitis is not one that is recurring, He said I should be able to lift like before and just remmember proper form and take caution when setting down weights not to tilt my wrist to floor.

The shot was pretty painless and the area was numb for 45 minutes after. Then the pain set in and it was pretty bad - I felt it from my thumb all the way up my arm and even felt like it went to my chest - anyways I took 3 Motrins and I was good to go. I woke up this morning and surprisingly I am around 85% better if not more.. I didnt want to push it so I wont go to the gym until at least Tomorrow or Sunday. The Doc said I could start working out as soon as it feels good and I should use my judgement.

Im pretty physched. He also told me to take Aleve every day at breakfast and Dinner it will help keep the tendon from getting inflamed. He said its Bullsh*t when people say that Ibuprofren everyday will give you ulcers or anticatabolic.

So I can't wait..... I will deffy follow up and let you all know how it feels tomorrow and when I decide to hit the weights.

I had the exact same tendonitis as you do. It started off the same way I thought I just tweaked it doing something then I noticed it not getting any better. I continued to lift through it for months it hurt the most when I benched and did dips because of all the weight on the inner part of my wrist, and it eventually got to the point where simple daily activities would hurt so bad so I decided to get my cortisone shot. The pain hurts more the 1st few days then it will get better and may also look bruised or a different color at the place of the injection which is normal. My orthopedic surgeon told me that it would take 2-3 weeks for it to get better then not to lift for another 2 weeks or so after it feels better. So I have no idea why your doctor told you that you can lift so soon. IMO I would take at least a month off to recover because you don't want it coming back again. It's been a year since my shot and my tendonitis came back in the same wrist as before so it definately can come back. I changed my routine to lighter weights with more reps for awhile until it heals so far its been a month its getting better but not going away. I take aleve twice a day and ice it 3 times a day plus I sleep with a brace on it all night. Also I just bought a pair of new grips they are supposed to help with tendonitis. I've had them for a 2 weeks now and they definately make a difference I would check into them if I was you.

I've had the exact samething as you and I know how hard it is not being able to lift but IMO you should honestly give it some time to heal before you start lifting again. And when you do go back to lifting start out light and try not to do the things that caused it in the first place. Good luck man hope the recovery goes well I know it sucks man just hang in there.

Not that I have this but...How much did it cost to get the shot?

[QUOTE=Brandon1986;284816891]I had the exact same tendonitis as you do. It started off the same way I thought I just tweaked it doing something then I noticed it not getting any better. I continued to lift through it for months it hurt the most when I benched and did dips because of all the weight on the inner part of my wrist, and it eventually got to the point where simple daily activities would hurt so bad so I decided to get my cortisone shot. The pain hurts more the 1st few days then it will get better and may also look bruised or a different color at the place of the injection which is normal. My orthopedic surgeon told me that it would take 2-3 weeks for it to get better then not to lift for another 2 weeks or so after it feels better. So I have no idea why your doctor told you that you can lift so soon. IMO I would take at least a month off to recover because you don't want it coming back again. It's been a year since my shot and my tendonitis came back in the same wrist as before so it definately can come back. I changed my routine to lighter weights with more reps for awhile until it heals so far its been a month its getting better but not going away. I take aleve twice a day and ice it 3 times a day plus I sleep with a brace on it all night. Also I just bought a pair of new grips they are supposed to help with tendonitis. I've had them for a 2 weeks now and they definately make a difference I would check into them if I was you.

I've had the exact samething as you and I know how hard it is not being able to lift but IMO you should honestly give it some time to heal before you start lifting again. And when you do go back to lifting start out light and try not to do the things that caused it in the first place. Good luck man hope the recovery goes well I know it sucks man just hang in there.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the Reply. I guess my doc new I was gonna do whatever I want anyway. I dont think I can stay away for 3 - 4 more weeks!!! It sux that it came back for you!! I would definetely like to know where you got those straps and what are they called. Today is just my first day after 1 night sleep after the shot - I havent even tried to fully bend and / or flex / stretch my hand. I am giong to wait until tomorrow morning and see how it bends and twists and if I can get into push up position without pain. As soon as i am comfortable I will definetely try lifting.

[QUOTE=Zzanitari;284839631]Not that I have this but...How much did it cost to get the shot?[/QUOTE]

I have Health Insurance so it costs me 30 bucks, but it costs around 900 bucks if you do not have insurance and it only takes about 2 minutes.

You can check them out at [url]www.newgrip.com[/url]. The wrist wraps work really good and the pads keep all of the pressure off your wrists and helps you get a better grip to let the tendons heal. Before I got these gloves my wrist hurt like hell now I don't feel anything during my workouts at all and the pain is starting to go away. They are a little weird at 1st to get used to but they really do work.

And to the other person that wanted to know how much it cost to get a cortisone shot without insurance its around $600-$1000 depends if they make you get an x-ray and a brace. My insurance covered most of it I only had to pay around $200, I had to get an x-ray and a brace and the brace cost $60 alone.

I messed my wrist up in college doing dumbell pressess. As soon as I kicked it up my left wrist went out.. I tried everything and finally got a cortizone shot. Its been over 10 years since I got it and no problems since.. As I last resort I would reccomend it.

Dude forget that...I would much rather spend 100$ on [url=https://www.xoomaworldwide.com/]Xtreme X2o[/url] than spend 900 bucks for that bull$hit. I don't have any insurance. And plus this product should be good for anybody who lifts weights. It supports the whole body and has been known to cure cancers and pain like tendinitis. Check out the testimonials. There's one about a guy who had ankle pain for a very long time and then when he was taking the x2o he stomped his foot while doing yard work and there wasn't any pain whatsoever. It can't be fake bull crap because you can submit your own testimonials. I'm about to try it. And I suggest everybody who lifts weights does too.

[QUOTE=Zzanitari;285145151]Dude forget that...I would much rather spend 100$ on [url=https://www.xoomaworldwide.com/]Xtreme X2o[/url] than spend 900 bucks for that bull$hit. I don't have any insurance. And plus this product should be good for anybody who lifts weights. It supports the whole body and has been known to cure cancers and pain like tendinitis. Check out the testimonials. There's one about a guy who had ankle pain for a very long time and then when he was taking the x2o he stomped his foot while doing yard work and there wasn't any pain whatsoever. It can't be fake bull crap because you can submit your own testimonials. I'm about to try it. And I suggest everybody who lifts weights does too.[/QUOTE]
LOL... you try it first and let me know - I know this witch doctor that sells snake oil for 999.99 that supposed to make you bench 500LB within 24hours of rubbing the oil on your crotch. Lemme know if you wanna give it a try.

[QUOTE=Brandon1986;285097011]You can check them out at [url]www.newgrip.com[/url]. The wrist wraps work really good and the pads keep all of the pressure off your wrists and helps you get a better grip to let the tendons heal. Before I got these gloves my wrist hurt like hell now I don't feel anything during my workouts at all and the pain is starting to go away. They are a little weird at 1st to get used to but they really do work. QUOTE]

I'll definetely try this out.


BTW worked out today for the first time. I was attentive to my wrist - it felt great in the morning when I woke up , and felt pretty good at the gym. There were a few instances where some excersizes gave me a nervous feeling - not really hurt but more of uncomfortable so I stopped them and substituted with others.

[QUOTE=Irish Babe;284513811]I had surgery on my wrist in april (ulnar shorteniing)...had 2 cortisone shots, the 2nd one hurt like hell for some reason..and since my wrists are super skinny i think it hurt more. It also changed the texture of my skin there and doc said that was normal and would eventually heal. not sure if it helped because the pain from the 2nd shot lasted a long time. some people swear by them. im typing w one hand now cuz i just got back from the gym and im icing it. dont try too much too fast because it will set you back even further.. i know it sux bad because i love to lift heavy and now i have to avoid a lot of exercises and use super low wt. you dont want to end up back at square one and i know its frustrating as hell but you have to be good to that wrist ...i hope everything turns out well for you : )[/QUOTE]

You had ulnar shortening surgery and lived to tell about it? ... j/k
But I know how scary that is. I once was told that's what I had to have done and I was scared ****less, LOL. You are very courageous. Have you had your plate taken out? Did it work?

BTW, to be on topic, cortisone shot only gave me pain, no relief, and to this day, I have a numb spot on my hand from it.

i think i might have something like this too, my the sides of my wirst, in particular my right wrist, hurt anytime i'm not lifting.... the main goes away while lifting and after working out for about an hour or so but then that night and the following morning it kills.... i have the mindset that i should just take the pain and keep working out thinking that it's minor, but i don't want to run the risk of further injury... what would you reccomend doing and is there any stretches or remendies to speed up the healing process?

Zakira, I did not need to get a plate. Doc didnt think I needed to go that extreme. My wrists are so skinny I guarantee you'd be able to SEE it thru my skin! Im trying to build up strength but its so frustrating because if you go TOO fast you set yourself back to square one. You can see the atrophy in my wrist . And the cortisone shot didnt help, just left my skin looking and feeling weird . Im trying Bio-Oil on it now, hopefully that will help with my little Skeltor wrist.

[QUOTE=derzeps;290431471]i think i might have something like this too, my the sides of my wirst, in particular my right wrist, hurt anytime i'm not lifting.... the main goes away while lifting and after working out for about an hour or so but then that night and the following morning it kills.... i have the mindset that i should just take the pain and keep working out thinking that it's minor, but i don't want to run the risk of further injury... what would you reccomend doing and is there any stretches or remendies to speed up the healing process?[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately the "right thing to do" is to stay away from the gym for 2 weeks, take some NSAIDs and try to immobilize the wrist from making that movement that hurts. the problem with tendons is that when you feel the pain you are actually inflaming it even more. Unfortunately I couldnt stay away from the gym and I made it worse - up to the point where I literally couldnt do anything with my left hand. Went to Doc - got a Cortisone shot on a Thursday by monday I was in the gym and 2 weeks later It's as if it never happend - but I am much more tentative on how I pic up and drop weights as well as form. I also wear heavy duty wrist strap for protection. Having a F'ed up wrist is practically a curse for me, I do not want to experience that again.

[QUOTE=Felonist;284333381]So in Medical terms I have De Quervain's tendonitis.

For anyone wondering what it is or if they have it this is a breif explanation:

The cause of the pain associated with De Quervain's tendonitis is inflammation around the tendons of two distinct muscles called the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis. The tendons on the side and back of the wrist run through a "pulley", analogous to a fishing line running through the eyelets of a fishing pole. The tendon normally slides smoothly, but inflammation and swelling around the tendon can cause it to snag and get caught on the pulley causing pain.

You can also preform the "finkelstein test". - Google it.

The pisser is that woman are usually the ones that get it do to potato peeling, picking babies up, or knitting - I guess not so manly.

How I got it: Felt small pain while setting down 85LB dumbell on the rack after doing shrugs.
How did it feel immediately: almost felt like a release - not really a very very bad pain.. some heat but i knew something wasnt 100% right.
What I did immediately: like an @sshole I continued working out.
What happend next days: There was more pain the next time I worked out when I did certain excersizes like Barbell curls, dumbell supinated style curls mostly but nothing unbearable.
Next few weeks: pain persisted. Actually after some innitial small pains, I would work through it and when I left the gym it actually felt "better" but the next day waking up would hurt a lot
What was my rehabilition / prevention technique: (I failed) I wore wrist wraps for when I was working out and metal splint (I bought from pharmacy) to immobilize for day to day activities.
Did it help: Well it got worse and I totally changed my workout to do excersizes that put less strain on curling or using the wrist - funny - but things like hammer curls would be totally fine since I would hold a tight wrist using other wrist muscles - I did chin ups as well. But unfortunately the day to day activities were getting harder as well.
It would not hurt but then id do some stupid movement like put on my jacket or try to wipe my @ss and it would hurt so much I could cry. It also started affecting other excersizes like bench press - I would lose 2 - 3 reps after De-racking the bar just to fix my hand placement so it would be comfortable (1 placement was good for the lift but needed to be readjusted for the reps)

After 7 months of hardcore lifting, losing weight, getting a body I was just starting to be proud of seeing the dividends of hard work pay off - I am halted and have not lifted since last January 20th. I am antsy - getting soft and cannot weight to get this shot!! I never got a cortisone shot.

Has anyone gotten one in the wrist - how long till you started lifting again? I'm sure the Doc will say to lay off for 6-8 weeks of course he doesn't give a sh*t about my body lol.[/QUOTE]


I think I may have the exact same problem as you. About 6-8 weeks ago, I was doing wrist curls, everything was fine until I felt this strange feelings in my wrist like something moved, but no pain. The next day my left wrist was killing me, and would randomly trhob really badly if I made certain movements. The clicking and popping that came with it was pretty ****ing painful.

Idiotically, I carried on lifting weights but took ibuprofen an hour before to work through the pain. Since then, it hasn't gotten any better, and there are times when I lift a plate and the dirtiest popping sound comes from my wrist leaving me in next level pain and a 20kg plate on floor.

Finally went to the doc last week, who gave me a blood test. I asked around some doctor friends who said this isn't really necessary, but may have a been a test for rheumatoid arthritis, but later found out this was bull. so gonna see the doc again this week to see whats goin on.

I've been wrapping up my wrist to keep it solid.

[QUOTE=infam0us1;300272601]I think I may have the exact same problem as you. About 6-8 weeks ago, I was doing wrist curls, everything was fine until I felt this strange feelings in my wrist like something moved, but no pain. The next day my left wrist was killing me, and would randomly trhob really badly if I made certain movements. The clicking and popping that came with it was pretty ****ing painful.

Idiotically, I carried on lifting weights but took ibuprofen an hour before to work through the pain. Since then, it hasn't gotten any better, and there are times when I lift a plate and the dirtiest popping sound comes from my wrist leaving me in next level pain and a 20kg plate on floor.

Finally went to the doc last week, who gave me a blood test. I asked around some doctor friends who said this isn't really necessary, but may have a been a test for rheumatoid arthritis, but later found out this was bull. so gonna see the doc again this week to see whats goin on.

I've been wrapping up my wrist to keep it solid.[/QUOTE]

There is a very simple test to see whether this is in fact De Quervain's tendinitis. Try doing the Finkelstien Test. Google it and it should apear with a diagram. If the pain is extreme when you perform that motion then it is definetley De Quervain's tendinitis. If it does not hurt to an extreme level then it could be a different form of tendinitis.

BTW it's been a month and im still pretty good!!! no pain!!

Oh...thanks for using the search function as opposed to starting a new thread and cluttering everything up!!

[QUOTE=Felonist;300284621]There is a very simple test to see whether this is in fact De Quervain's tendinitis. Try doing the Finkelstien Test. Google it and it should apear with a diagram. If the pain is extreme when you perform that motion then it is definetley De Quervain's tendinitis. If it does not hurt to an extreme level then it could be a different form of tendinitis.

BTW it's been a month and im still pretty good!!! no pain!!

Oh...thanks for using the search function as opposed to starting a new thread and cluttering everything up!![/QUOTE]


Thanks for that! I tested it out (and a tonne of info about tendinitis), theres some discomfort in comparison with my right hand, but nothing extreme. I guess it's probs a different type.

just gotta wait for the doc appointment untill then (and work through the pain)...

Hey i saw that you wrote this and i too have the same problem ive been bodybuilding for 5 years and i also work in orthopaedic sports medicine,ive had 3 shots and a SURGERY 4 days ago it came back to haunt me i got an mri and it said i had a abductor pollicis longus tendon tear with inflammation still in the tendon, so these things can come back and i suggest if you have anymore problems with this start wrapping your hand with athletic tape when you lift, watch your form,watch skull crushers and barbell hand placement(Always wrap your thumbs around the bar) Hope you do better than me.....chris

[QUOTE=hintontopher;341776281]Hey i saw that you wrote this and i too have the same problem ive been bodybuilding for 5 years and i also work in orthopaedic sports medicine,ive had 3 shots and a SURGERY 4 days ago it came back to haunt me i got an mri and it said i had a abductor pollicis longus tendon tear with inflammation still in the tendon, so these things can come back and i suggest if you have anymore problems with this start wrapping your hand with athletic tape when you lift, watch your form,watch skull crushers and barbell hand placement(Always wrap your thumbs around the bar) Hope you do better than me.....chris[/QUOTE]

Hi So far so good with me. I have no pains and as always I wrap my wrists and am very tentative when lifting and dropping weights. I have been doing light wrist curls and some forearm work and I really think strengthening the muscles around the tendons is truly helping (im no doctor and havent verified this).


I wanted to know how you are doing after surgery.....Are you back in the gym?

Felonist, just wondered how your wrist is feeling now days?
Im having a cortisone injection in about 6 weeks (NHS waiting list..) and was just wondering if you think they actually do the job.

regards, Alex.

Everything i read about this makes me feel like I have De Quervain's, except the Finkelstein test. I've been going to physiotherapy for this, finally, and it doesn't seem to be helping a ton. Maybe i should go visit a doctor..

i would absolutely love to just get a shot and have this finally be done with. the money ive spent on this physio is obscene too considering the lack of results

sometimes even holding my iphone causes too much pain in the snuffbox area/thumb area of the wrist joint.

in the gym, i have a lot of trouble with barbell bench or shoulder press, and supinated bicep curls. but if u use dumbells for my presses it's completely fine, other than sometimes getting the weights to the right position. plus to make matters even worse, often i can't pour myself a glass of milk using my right hand, so its not only making SS difficult, but it's also getting in the way of GOMAD!

My DQT first set in in mid-december 2012 and since then I've not been able to hit the gym that that super sucks to see my last two years of effort being flushed down the drain. Recently, my doctor has ordered me to go for a steriod gel injection, would this be the Cortisone shot?

The doctor reckons that I got DQT from playing way too much table-tennis (the wrong way using the wrist) and I've not played it over the past month. Likewise, I would feel the pain when I play but afterwards, it would go away but come back with a vengence the next day.

Just that on this side of the world, I've also been trying Traditional Chinese Medicial methods that includes trying to cure the DQT through massage, acupuncture etc. If it doesn't clear it in the month's time, I'll probably go for the injection since that's my scheduled appointment anyways.

Question to those who have gone for the injection, has the DQT come back since then?

[QUOTE=Cye84;1042718493]My DQT first set in in mid-december 2012 and since then I've not been able to hit the gym that that super sucks to see my last two years of effort being flushed down the drain. Recently, my doctor has ordered me to go for a steriod gel injection, would this be the Cortisone shot?

The doctor reckons that I got DQT from playing way too much table-tennis (the wrong way using the wrist) and I've not played it over the past month. Likewise, I would feel the pain when I play but afterwards, it would go away but come back with a vengence the next day.

Just that on this side of the world, I've also been trying Traditional Chinese Medicial methods that includes trying to cure the DQT through massage, acupuncture etc. If it doesn't clear it in the month's time, I'll probably go for the injection since that's my scheduled appointment anyways.

Question to those who have gone for the injection, has the DQT come back since then?[/QUOTE]



Yes. I've had two now and it keeps on coming back. It can be all to do with posture and all sorts of things you wouldn't expect. I'll probably end up needing surgery on it. Good Luck with yours

bump, Felonist I was wondering how you're going? I have De Quervain's tendonitis aswell and i'm going for a cortisone shot soon and wondering if your tendonitis is gone for good?

I have a DQT, i've experiencing it for almost 2 months, i tried to manage it orally but unfortunately it does not go away... im resting it for two weeks to have a speedy recovery.. im afraid for a major set back in going to the gym if this does not heal and recovery flaw. wish me luck! :)

Hi I haven't heard De Quervain since I had surgery on my wrist, over 15 years ago. The cortisone shots aren't that bad, yes quick relief. I mean quick relief, then right back in pain. The surgery did absolutely nothing. The scar is no longer than 1/2 inch . On the wrist. Hope all goes well, read your post and decided to leave reply. Marcia

Reading some of these responses is almost as painful as the tendinitis itself. De Quervain's tendinitis is not something that will just miraculously heal itself. It's inflammation from "overuse" and it usually happens shortly after having a baby, although men and non-new moms can get it, but that is rare. It is not just a push-through-the-pain injury and it will not just heal on it's own just because you want it to.
For me, the pain started when my I had my first baby, when she was around 6-8 weeks old. I literally could not use my left wrist to push myself off of the floor when I was playing with her. I had one cortisone injection (paid whatever my copy was), took ibuprofen for a week, wore a thumb brace for 2-3 weeks (not a wrist brace, which is an entirely different thing), and it didn't bother me again...even through my 2nd child. It popped up again after I had my 3rd kiddo...exactly the same, but a little more stubborn. It required a 2nd round of shots (shots didn't hurt bad, but the pain after was awful...just hurt to even touch the injection site). I did the same treatment though and after a few weeks of rest the pain went away.
What most of you are describing isn't tendinitis...it's tendonosis. True tendonitis is inflammation that is not going to go away just because you're a tough guy that wants big gains. It needs treatment...and not from a naturopath, holistic quack doctor.