Kanye West said he gets steroid injections in his hands because of 'too much texting'

• Kanye West tweeted, and then deleted, that he was getting steroid injections for joint pain due to texting too much.
• Joint pain from texting is common, according to orthopedic specialists, and resting your aching areas is the best way to fix the problem.
• But if it persists, injections like the ones West got, or surgery, might be needed.

In a now-deleted tweet, rapper Kanye West shared that he was getting steroid injections in his hands because they were in pain from "too much texting bro."

On Tuesday, West appeared to live-tweet his doctor's appointment, including a video of his doctor injecting him with, as his tweet read, "cortisone mixed with a wittle sprinkle of lidocaine," Page Six reported.

Cortisone is a steroid that's injected near the joints of the elbow, knee, back, hands, and more. Once injected, cortisone can reduce inflammation and pain, according to the Mayo Clinic, and is a treatment often used for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Lidocaine, the other treatment Kanye's doctor used, is an anesthetic, or numbing agent, that's often combined with a steroid like cortisol to relieve joint pain, according to the Mayfield Brain and Spine Clinic in Cincinnati, Ohio.

There's no need for recovery time after being injected; patients can go home right after the procedure. Two to seven days later, the steroid kicks in to relieve pain for days or months, Mayfield's website says.

Overusing your phone or computer can stress your hand joints

Though West didn't share the exact condition that caused his joint pain, it's true that texting or typing too much can lead to discomfort in the hands.

As orthopedic surgeon Dr. Peter J. Evans wrote on the Cleveland Clinic website, cell phone overuse can lead to micro-injuries in your hand muscles and tendons, especially in the thumb area.

"Although texting on most smartphones is faster with your thumbs, our thumbs aren't really very limber," Evans wrote. "Heavy texting with your thumbs can cause fine tears in your muscles and tendons, creating inflammation that causes swelling and stiffness."

Too much texting can also cause pain in the pinky fingers and wrists, according to Dr. Eugene Tsai, a hand and upper extremity surgeon at Cedars-Sinai.

Resting your joints can help, but sometimes injections or surgery are needed

He suggested using your pointer fingers to text or using voice messaging to give your thumbs a chance to rest.

The best way to treat these types of injuries is to let stressed tendons and joints rest, but sometimes injections are needed if the pain persists, like in West's case, Tsai said.

And if injections become ineffective for relieving pain, surgery could be needed.

"In the end, the best way to alleviate pain and stop it from coming back is to change your smartphone and tablet habits," Tsai said.

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