Ultrasound-guided saline injections outperform steroids for carpal tunnel relief. A randomized trial of 63 patients found that hydrodissection — using saline to free a compressed nerve — delivered longer-lasting pain and function improvements than steroid injections alone. The 15-minute, steroid-free procedure could help patients skip surgery altogether.
Saline beats steroids for lasting carpal tunnel relief
A new clinical trial published in Radiology suggests that ultrasound-guided hydrodissection — a minimally invasive technique that uses saline to physically free a compressed nerve in the wrist — outperforms traditional steroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The 15-minute, outpatient procedure requires no anesthesia, costs little, and lets patients return to work within an hour.
In the randomized controlled trial of 63 patients with refractory CTS, those who received hydrodissection (with or without steroids) continued improving at 12 weeks and 6 months, while patients who got steroid injections alone saw their symptoms return. Notably, adding steroids to the saline didn't provide meaningful extra benefit — plain saline worked just as well.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: With CTS affecting 5–10% of people over a lifetime and cases on the rise, a safe, durable, non-surgical option could spare many patients from the operating room — and from the side effects of repeated steroid use.
