Hydrocortisone injections can help to treat a number of common conditions which affect the hands, wrists and fingers. It is also an effective treatment to alleviate pain and inflammation of the joints caused by injury. Here are some of the common conditions hydrocortisone shots for hands can treat:
Joint pain following injury: There are several things that can cause injury leading to joint pain in the fingers, hand or wrists, such as playing sports, carrying out repetitive movements or falling over. Hydrocortisone injections can help with the pain and allow the affected joint to move more freely.
Arthritis: Hydrocortisone shots for hands can help to relieve the symptoms of arthritis. For osteoarthritis, the injection is most commonly administered to the joint at the base of the thumb and the joints closest to the fingernail. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, the knuckles are the most common joint to be treated with hydrocortisone injections. It is less common for the joint in the middle of the finger to be treated with hydrocortisone shots.
Painful tendons (tendonitis): A tendon injury can cause a tendon to become painful and inflamed. This is known as tendonitis. The condition can cause stiffness and affect the movement of the tendon.
Bursitis: Bursitis happens when the fluid-filled sacs (bursa) that cushion the joints become inflamed, causing painful, tender and sore joints. Although the condition can affect joints anywhere on the body, it most commonly affects the hips, elbows, shoulders or knees.
Trigger finger: Trigger finger is a condition that affects one or more of the flexor tendons in the hand that control finger movement. Trigger finger leaves the sufferer unable to straighten the affected finger(s) or thumb in the usual way. Trigger finger can affect your ability to carry out day-to-day tasks and some people find the condition painful. Steroid shots for the hands can help to reduce any swelling.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: The carpal tunnel is a narrow channel running along the hands and wrists. It houses the tendons used to bend the fingers and thumb, alongside the median nerve. Sometimes this nerve becomes compressed, causing carpal tunnel syndrome. People with this condition may experience pain, tingling, numbness and a weakness in the hand, along with an impaired ability to grasp.