Meg,
Have a very good friend who had DC and CTS in hands. He had operation by a very good surgeon (who does just hands) and after about 4 months, hands are normal. He even went back to work the next day after surgery, although he admits that it was too soon.
Good luck, keep us informed.
Gary

I feel for you all as I am a 38 yr old female who 2 yrs ago had CTS (both hands had surgery), adhesions in shoulder (surgery), and DC. Now I also have trigger finger. Several doctors told me there is no pain with DC. But, I now know better, 2 yrs later.

I recently had cortisone injections in both hands (after taking medication a neurologist prescribed for over a year that helped very little) and it, so far has been effective for the pain (a couple of months). I also have had Type I Diabetes for 34 years. Most all of the doctors I've seen contribute everything I've experienced as being related to Diabetes. Yeah, right.....I find more useful information on the net that in the doctors office most of the time.

Just one month ago I underwent another much more extensive surgery in the same shoulder and had more adhesions, rotator cuff tear, bone shaved, and another muscle repaired. It made me wonder why this is continually getting worse (shoulder) so I started researching the net...

Just for FYI of what I've found out: the company that makes the collagenase injection product for the DC study going on in the USA is also going to do a study for using the product for the shoulder! The enzyme that is supposed to break down the collagen for the hands is responsible for not breaking it down in my shoulder therefore, adhesion buildup again 2 yrs later and a much worse surgery and recovery.

I am now a firm believer that there can be much more associated health issues related with DC that what I have been told from some of the doctors I've seen. It's frustrating and tedious (not to mention money) figuring out why one has different symptoms than another but, are diagnosed the same.

Hang in there everyone. The needle aponovrotomy is on it's way in the US. I have seen a few people from the US post pictures of their hands after going to France and having it done and it is really amazing results. I am pushing to get involved in the Phase III trials getting underway for it which started in Stoneybrook, NY.

I've been diagnosed with this - little finger of left hand. My local (UK) hand surgeon wants to chop it out, but I've read of some USA work (ca 2002)in which chemical methods are used, I believe it was clostridial collagenase. Is anyone aware of a UK hospital that has used this technique? It seems very sensible to me to use a chemical method to deal with a problem whose formation must have involved chemistry, so I'd be grateful for any views.
Regards, T J Henman

is there any lazer surgery to remove a bone spur other thansurgery