Does Taking an Alpha-lipoic for 40 days after Carpal Tunnel Release decrease the likelihood of developing Pillar Pain?
Filed under Uncategorized
Filippo, B., Granchi, D., Roatti, G., Merlini, L., Sabattini, T., & Baldini, N. (2017). Alpha-lipoic acid after median nerve decompression at the carpal tunnel: A randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Hand Surgery, 4, 236–42.
The Skinny – A double-blind, randomized controlled study was performed. Sixty-four patients were randomly assigned into two groups after median nerve decompression. Thirty-two patients took the alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), while the other 32 received the placebo pill.
In The Weeds – The outcome measures utilized were Boston Carpal Tunnel score, 2-point discrimination, presence or absence of pillar pain, use of analgesics beyond post-op day 2, and sensory and motor conduction velocities. These measures were assessed at three months post-op.
Bringing it Home – ALA did not significantly improve nerve conduction velocity or Boston Carpal Tunnel score. Taking ALA did reduce pillar pain, and static 2-point discrimination improved in both groups.
Taking ALA for 40 days after carpal tunnel surgery can lower the incidence of Pillar Pain. The study size was relatively small, and the outcome measures of pain and two-point discrimination test are somewhat subjective measures. The ALA treatment (pillar pain treatment) was well tolerated by the study participants. A larger study is needed to confirm these findings.
More To Read
Brachial Plexopathy Case Example in Hand Therapy
Brachial Plexopathy Case Example in Hand Therapy (plexopathy examples) One of the recent cases we have seen is a 13-year old with a brachial plexus injury. We are seeing the patient post-surgery for tendon transfers to increase functional use of his left upper extremity (LUE). Before the surgery, he could not extend the wrist and…
Top 5 DIP Flexion Exercises
By: Tori Rhodes Lately, we’ve had a handful of patients roll through our clinic with pretty significant limitations to DIP flexion. So, we’ve collected a selection of go-to exercises for these individuals. We’ve included a few of those here. From cat bites and fracture sites to mallet fingers and skin grafts, many individuals who are…
What is the incidence of musculoskeletal complaints in the elbow, shoulder, and neck after hand and forearm injuries?
Winiarski, L. M., Livoni, J. D., Madsen, P. V., Rathleff, M. S., & Larsen, P. (2021). Concurrent musculoskeletal complaints in elbows, shoulders, and necks after common hand and forearm injuries or conditions: A cross-sectional study among 600 patients. Journal of hand therapy: official journal of the American Society of Hand Therapists, 34(4), 543–548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2020.05.002 The Skinny: The…
How to Use Translation for Improving Fine Motor Skills after a Hand Injury:
I’m always looking for new therapy ideas. I want to keep my patients interested and engaged in therapy. I also want to keep things functional and task oriented. So much of what we do with our hands is about fine motor coordination and dexterity, and that is so hard to duplicate in a clinic setting.…
Sign-up to Get Updates Straight to Your Inbox!
Sign up with us and we will send you regular blog posts on everything hand therapy, notices every time we upload new videos and tutorials, along with handout, protocols, and other useful information.