How a dash of sugar could help ease wrist pain

A SUGAR jab could be a new way to ease the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects more than 1.5 million people in the UK.

Researchers from Taiwan believe when the sugary mixture is injected into the hand, it will reduce inflammation and stimulate the tissue to heal.

In a new study, doctors will treat 60 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome with a solution containing water and 5 percent dextrose, a form of sugar derived from corn.

Previous research has suggested dextrose injections can help reduce inflammation in patients with osteoarthritis, and animal studies have shown the treatment can improve some tissue damage caused by carpal tunnel syndrome.

The condition is common and occurs when a nerve that runs into the hand becomes trapped or compressed at the wrist as it passes through the carpal tunnel – a narrow passage in the wrist made up of small bones and connective tissue.

The nerve that runs through it helps control movement in the fingers and arm. As the nerve is compressed, it can lead to pain, tingling or numbness in the hand, and limited movement.

In most cases, what causes the nerve to become compressed is unclear, though conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy can raise the risk of it occurring.

With diabetes, it’s thought to be due to the small blood vessels thickening, damaging the nerve.

With arthritis, inflammation is thought to increase pressure around the carpal tunnel. In pregnancy, it’s linked to the increased volume of blood putting pressure on the nerve.

Treatments include rigid splints to hold the joint in a position to reduce pain, anti-inflammatory drugs, hand exercises to free up the nerve, steroid injections and surgery to release pressure on the nerve.

However, with many treatments the relief is often only temporary. The theory behind the new treatment is it can help stimulate repair of existing cells and reduce inflammation and pain signals.

Laboratory studies have shown dextrose injections can help produce various growth factors in damaged cells, which are key for stimulating the repair and growth of new cells. – Daily Mail