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
Splinting and Stretch Protocol for Pediatric Trigger Thumb
Tan, A. C., Lam, K. S., & Lee, E. H. (2002). The Treatment Outcome of Trigger Thumb in Children. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics B, 11(3), 256-259. The Skinny:Pediatric trigger thumb is a “relatively uncommon” condition of unknown origins. Studies have indicated that spontaneous recovery of trigger thumb is around 25-40%, and chances increase with age.…
Why Burnout Happens in Hand Therapy and What We Can Do About It.
Why Burnout Happens in Hand Therapy There are several reasons why burnout can occur, this is especially true for healthcare workers. What We Can Do About It Final Thought:Burnout isn’t a personal failure, it is often a systemic issue. But we do have power over how we respond. As hand therapists, we are experts at…
Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM hand)
By: Amalia Garcia Introduction After completing three weeks of my Level II hand therapy rotation, I have seen a wide variety of common upper extremity injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, distal radius fractures, mallet finger, flexor tendon lacerations, arthritis, and more. One condition that stood out to me was one that I hadn’t heard…
Wound Healing Complications in Diabetic Patients who have undergone a Carpal Tunnel or Trigger Finger Release
By: Amalia Garcia Gundlach, B. K., Robbins, C. B., Lawton, J. N., & Lien, J. R. (2021). Wound Healing Complications in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Carpal Tunnel and Trigger Finger Releases: A Retrospective Cohort Study. The Journal of Hand Surgery, S0363502321003014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhsa.2021.05.009 The Skinny – carpal tunnel and diabetes In general, individuals with diabetes are more…
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.