Treatment of an Upper Extremity Chronic Repetitive Strain Injury of 28 Years Duration in a Professional Jazz Saxophonist Using 5% Dextrose

The treatment of chronic repetitive strain injury is a frustrating discourse of potential pathoanatomical causes and their treatments. This case describes an overlooked pathoanatomical cause and successful treatment for a chronic and debilitating repetitive strain injury of the upper extremities that lasted for 28 years and was resistant to a variety of conventional and alternative treatments in a professional jazz saxophone player. A series of fascial tissue infiltrations using 5% dextrose was used to successfully downregulate c-fiber activity within the upper extremities. This treatment resulted in the complete resolution of upper extremity pain and dysfunction with a full return to normal instrument practice and performance that has been sustained without recurrence for four years following treatment.